The seniors of the Community of Western Azerbaijan had a meeting on 18 October with the visiting delegation led by Secretary General of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (GNAT) Talip Uzun.

Having welcomed the guests cordially, Chairman of the Board of the CWA MP Aziz Alakbarli talked about the calamities that befell the Azerbaijani people during the 200 years past, the four-stage deportation of the Azerbaijanis from Armenia last century and the genocides to which our people were subjected. Accordingly to Mr Alakbarli, the CWA that was incepted after the last deportation of 1987-1991 and is headed by him was the lawful representative of our compatriots over the past three decades. Work is being done now in line with the Grand Return Concept adopted at the beginning of this year and envisaging the departure of the Western Azerbaijanis back to their native lands. This is to be a peaceful, safe and dignified move based on the fundamental human rights. The rights of those people must be protected, Mr Alakbarli emphasised.

Next, Mr Alakbarli’s deputy MP Ramil Hasan spoke of the other areas and vectors that the Grand Return Concept encompasses. Amongst other things, he told the guests about the destruction of our heritage and churchyards and the repeated appeals to the UNESCO about preserving that heritage. He also told of the toponyms changed in the territory of Armenia.

Chairman of the CWA Board of Elders/chairman of the Milli Majlis Committee of Health Ahliman Amiraslanov and Chair of the CWA Women’s Council Malahat Ibrahimghizi, in turn, supplied the Turkish guests with ample information about the sufferings of our compatriots and the damage done to our heritage in the course of the Azerbaijanis’ deportations.

GNAT Secretary General Talip Uzun thanked for the information before saying that Türkiye stands by Azerbaijan’s side invariably and shares her pain and hardships. Referring to the philosophy of the Azerbaijani people’s National Leader Heydar Aliyev, expressed concisely in the ‘One Nation – Two States’ concept, Mr Uzun remarked that the brotherhood model uniting Türkiye and Azerbaijan was not to be found elsewhere around the world.

With the meeting over, the delegation from the brotherly country were taken on a tour of the CWA building. They were shown the photos on display as well as the memorabilia and stands present on the premises.

The Press and Public Relations Department

The Milli Majlis