Pashinyan Closes the Door for the Return of Azerbaijanis: Sharp Criticism from Baku

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's statement that the issue of Azerbaijani return to their former residences in Armenia will not be discussed during his administration has become one of the most significant announcements in recent days. Essentially, the head of the Armenian government clarified that Yerevan is not even intending to raise the issue of the rights of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis expelled from Western Azerbaijan in the late 1980s.

Furthermore, Pashinyan referred to the question of return as a 'topic of conflict, not of peace,' effectively removing it from the current agenda of the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process.

In this context, Azerbaijani political scientist and MP Rasim Musabekov pointed out that the Armenian authorities' stance is influenced by the domestic political situation and electoral campaigning, where opposition forces are exploiting this issue.

According to the Azerbaijani expert, Baku is currently focused exclusively on relocating its citizens to Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur, a process being carried out in stages.

At the same time, according to the Azerbaijani perspective, the possibility of the return of displaced Armenians from Karabakh is directly related to the rights of Azerbaijanis who have left Armenia. Since Yerevan refuses to discuss the return of Azerbaijanis, the question of relocating Karabakh Armenians is also removed from the agenda.

Instead, the Armenian government is implementing programs for long-term integration and housing support for Karabakh residents, encouraging their process of acquiring Armenian citizenship.

Currently, the primary agenda between the two countries remains the signing of a peace treaty, delimitation, opening communications, and renouncing mutual territorial claims. The possibility for people to move freely, visit former residences or relatives' graves can only be considered in the final phase of complete normalization of relations and the formation of an atmosphere of trust.