Armenia forces to talk about the deportation of Azerbaijanis

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan had to endure several uncomfortable minutes at the UN on Monday. The Armenian side is not accustomed to being asked difficult questions. Throughout the years of occupation of Azerbaijani territories, Armenia shamelessly portrayed itself as a victim, depicting Azerbaijan as a villain in international organizations. And never before had it been forced to clarify the misleading statements made by its representatives. However, on December 2, 2024, a storm broke.

The lightning struck directly at Deputy Minister Kostanyan, who was unprepared for this.

During the consideration of Armenia's periodic report at the 114th session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Committee member Chung Chinsung expressed surprise that the report contained numerous claims against Azerbaijan, while not a single Azerbaijani lives in Armenia. The Committee member asked for clarification from the Armenian representative. Kostanyan, as they say, was caught off guard. Unable to evade the question, the Deputy Minister confirmed that Azerbaijanis do not live in Armenia. He then inappropriately attempted to link the excessive attention given to Azerbaijan in the report to security concerns and the political situation. However, these arguments had no connection to the topic at hand.

The question raised by the Committee member is highly relevant today, as Armenia is actively seeking international support to pressure Baku for the unhindered and massive return of Armenians to the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, which they voluntarily left a year ago. Azerbaijanis, who were ethnically cleansed and forcibly expelled from Armenia, have never been recognized by the international community. Thanks to Armenian, Soviet, and pro-Armenian propaganda, 250,000 people simply vanished in a short period of time. This is similar to how hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis, who were expelled from Armenia earlier, disappeared, as did the victims of the genocide at the beginning of the 20th century.

Until now, no one had ever asked Armenia such questions. It is unfortunate that Mrs. Chung Chinsung did not push further to ask Kostanyan why there are no Azerbaijanis in Armenia today. She could have pointed out the ethnic cleansing and deportation (which is well-documented). It would have been interesting to hear his response. The member of the UN Committee from the Republic of Korea is a sharp expert, and we doubt that the feeble explanations of the head of the Armenian delegation would have satisfied her. One positive aspect is that, for the first time, the ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijanis in Armenia was acknowledged within the UN—albeit indirectly.

Armenia has yet to realize the seriousness of the situation. Its neighbors are still complacent, lulled by general affection and pleasantries. However, the issue of the return of Azerbaijanis is gradually taking shape and becoming an obstacle to the realization of goals that once seemed so simple a year ago. By inciting people to leave Karabakh last autumn, the organizers of the "deportation" had hoped for a different outcome. They anticipated strong pressure on Baku, including sanctions and accusations of genocide. Then, Armenians would return in large numbers, accompanied by music, observers, and Western peacekeepers, and live according to their own rules. Western structures and officials were prepared for such a scenario, if not fully aware of these plans.

However, the unexpected happened. Azerbaijan did not succumb to pressure, but instead effectively silenced its critics, reminding the world of the hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijani refugees who have equal, if not greater, rights to return to their ancestral lands. Now, whenever defenders of the Armenians speak of the "unhindered and dignified return" of Armenians to Karabakh, the question of the parallel return of Azerbaijanis to Armenia is immediately raised. A balanced return—meaning that as many Armenians return to Karabakh, as many Azerbaijanis should return to Western Zangezur. The Azerbaijani side is not considering any other options.

This position has greatly irritated Western officials. They have begun feverishly searching for ways to fulfill promises made to the Armenians. Former EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, Toivo Klaar, said in a farewell interview with Armenian media that the return of Armenians to Karabakh and the return of Azerbaijanis to Armenia are "completely different issues that should not be confused." According to Klaar, the first issue is to facilitate the return of Karabakh Armenians to their ancestral homes, which he claims is an obligation of Azerbaijan. The second issue, he said, concerns Armenians who used to live in other parts of Azerbaijan, including Baku, or Azerbaijanis who lived in Armenia. Naturally, they should be able to visit the places where they or their families once lived, or even return there if they wish. Klaar argues this should be part of the normalization process, but he insists it is a different issue than the specific return of Karabakh Armenians.

Baku simply smiled. It is amusing that Klaar, who served as Special Representative for so many years, still didn’t understand what was happening in the region.

The issue of the "unhindered and dignified return" of Armenians has stalled. Hundreds of thousands of people who had illegally lived in Azerbaijan initially packed their bags and gave hysterical interviews to hired foreign reporters. They waited for buses to arrive and open all the roads, but they never came. Many likely regret today that they were swayed by propaganda, refusing to comply with the legitimate authorities and rejecting reintegration. What's done is done. The only way for Armenians to return to Azerbaijan is for Armenian society to change, allowing the government to address the issue of the return of Azerbaijanis. So far, Yerevan is too afraid to even mention it. The government has started playing a game of "getting citizenship," although all the displaced persons are already citizens of Armenia. It is reluctant to offer further benefits to "refugees," understanding that these people will not cross into Azerbaijan's borders unless Baku’s conditions are met.

A few days ago, Armenia appointed a new Interior Minister. In an interview with Simonyan media, Minister Ghazaryan stated that Karabakh Armenians who have received RA citizenship retain the right to return to Karabakh. This right, he claimed, is guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966 and the European Convention on Human Rights.

Ghazaryan is mistaken. International lawyer Professor Namik Aliyev explained earlier that ethnic Armenians living in Karabakh can be divided into four categories. The first group consists of people who lived in Karabakh before the conflict began in 1988. The second group includes individuals who resettled in Karabakh during the conflict to participate in terrorist actions and the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, and then stayed there, creating families. The third group comprises those who resettled to Karabakh after the first Karabakh War of 1992-1994. The fourth group consists of people who remained in Karabakh as part of the occupying Armenian armed forces and other illegal armed formations.

"It is clear to anyone that, of these four categories, only the first group theoretically has the right to acquire Azerbaijani citizenship in accordance with the established procedure and integrate into Azerbaijani society. The remaining three groups have no right to reside in Azerbaijan. In any other democratic state, they would be subject to expulsion or criminal prosecution," the lawyer explained.

Additionally, it should be noted that not only Armenian citizens but also Armenians from Lebanon, Syria, and other countries had illegally lived in Azerbaijani territory. Armenia's actions in settling these territories were in violation of international law, as well as various covenants and conventions that Armenian propaganda has long studied.

Yes, it is a pity that the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination did not ask Armenia's Deputy Foreign Minister enough probing questions or push him to explain the situation further. Kostanyan certainly had more to say.