Expert: Aliyev`s Armenophobic statements once again demonstrate   Azerbaijani authorities` desire to wipe Armenia off the face of the  earth

ArmInfo.The Armenophobic statements by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the conference "Cultural Heritage and the Right to Return: Restoring the  Cultural Heritage of Azerbaijanis Expelled from Armenia as a Path to Justice, Reconciliation, and Peace" once again demonstrate the Azerbaijani authorities' desire to wipe Armenia off the face of the earth, as noted by  Karen Igityan,  expert on Caucasian studies. 

The expert noted that while the Armenian authorities are publicly  declaring the "arrival of peace," Azerbaijan is strengthening its  already strong ties with Armenia's new strategic partner, or the  current government's old partner, Britain. "And in the context of the  era of peace, Aliyev accuses Armenia of massacring and deporting  Azerbaijanis from Armenia-in his interpretation, "Western  Azerbaijan"-and reiterates his intention to populate Armenia with  "peace-loving" "Western Azerbaijanis," previously called "yeraz" in  Baku.

It's clear that the "peace-loving members of the community" who  suffered from the massacre will spark a conflict, and Azerbaijan and  Turkey "simply cannot help but react." The commitment to respect  territorial integrity will be formally upheld, and the opportunity to  achieve his goal of eliminating Armenia will be as close as  possible," Igityan stated.  It's worth noting that Aliyev, in his  address today to the participants of the III International Conference  "Cultural Heritage and the Right of Return: Restoring the Cultural  Heritage of Azerbaijanis Expelled from Armenia as a Path to Justice,  Reconciliation, and Peace," once again invoked the ancient history of  Azerbaijan, forgetting that the state was only established in 1918,  and even its name was borrowed from the Persians.

He then spoke of some massacre of Azerbaijanis on Armenian territory,  which apparently only the highest levels of Baku know about, and of  the alleged confiscation of their property. Aliyev didn't stop there,  and in the very next paragraph of his speech, he accused Armenia of  "destroying the rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage of  Azerbaijanis," though he didn't specify what kind of heritage he was  referring to. "It is crucial to take the necessary steps to assess  the crimes against humanity committed by Armenians against  Azerbaijanis within the framework of international law and to secure  the support of the international community in this matter," Aliyev  cynically stated. The President of Azerbaijan also called for  intensified efforts to ensure the return of Azerbaijanis forcibly  expelled from Armenia within the framework of the right of return  enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the  International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention  Relating to the Status of Refugees, and other important international  instruments, as well as the initiation of a process to restore and  protect cultural heritage with the participation of the international  community, including specialized UN agencies. Aliyev, who de-  Armenized Artsakh and destroyed hundreds of cultural and spiritual  heritage sites, did not mention the rights of the indigenous Artsakh  population, whose houses are being destroyed and looted at this very  moment.  "The restrained, constructive approach of the 'Western  Azerbaijan community,' which unites people directly affected by  deportations and massacres, its openness to reconciliation and  dialogue, its alignment with international law, and its respect for  the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states, deserve high  praise.

The meeting between Azerbaijan and Armenia on August 8, 2025, in  Washington, D.C., mediated by the United States of America, the  signing of the Joint Declaration, and the initialing of the draft  peace agreement instill hope and faith in the future coexistence of  the two peoples. We believe that the peace- loving members of the  "Western Azerbaijan community" will return to their ancestral lands  and that good- neighborly relations will be established between our  peoples," added Aliyev, who is no stranger to lying, distorting, and  blatantly falsifying history.