There is No 'Western Azerbaijan' in Armenia, Says Pashinyan

Azerbaijan refers to approximately 60-70 percent of the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia as 'Western Azerbaijan.' However, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that there is no such entity within Armenia. As reported by Aarmenpress and highlighted by the newspaper Agos, Pashinyan made these remarks during an interview with representatives of Turkish media visiting Armenia.

In response to the question raised by Baku regarding the return of supposed refugees from Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister emphasized that Azerbaijan is actually raising an issue they call 'Western Azerbaijan.' 'Azerbaijan invites us to discuss the issue of 'Western Azerbaijan,' referring to 60-70 percent of the territory of the Republic of Armenia. We state that there is no 'Western Azerbaijan' in Armenia,' Pashinyan said.

He added that if they wish to search for 'Western Azerbaijan,' they should consider the regions of Qazakh, Agstafa, Getabek, Kelbajar, Lachin, Zangezur, and Kubatlu in Azerbaijan. The Prime Minister stressed that one can determine what constitutes Western Azerbaijan just by looking at a map. Furthermore, he remarked that with great desire, even Nakhchivan could be considered geographically as part of Western Azerbaijan.

'They attempt to place this within the logic of humanitarian issues, inviting us to discuss certain matters. I reiterate, they refer to 60 percent of our country's sovereign territory as 'Western Azerbaijan.' Therefore, such an issue is not negotiable for us. It cannot be negotiable for any country,' he stated.

When talking about the refugee issue, the Prime Minister referenced the November 9 agreement that mentions the return of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas. There are refugees in Armenia and the diaspora from Nakhchivan, Baku, Sumgait, neighboring regions of Nagorno-Karabakh, Ganja, and others.

According to the Prime Minister, the Armenian side perceives Baku's statements as mere territorial claims against Armenia, and thus, Armenia cannot discuss this issue.