Amid the continuing Azerbaijani blockade of Karabakh, Aliyev met in Baku at the weekend with natives of “Western Azerbaijan,” a term repeatedly used by him in reference to Armenian territory and Syunik province in particular.
He claimed that Yerevan is “one of our historical cities” and that “Western Azerbaijan is our historical territory.” He said that Armenian control over those lands is the result of “crimes” against the Azerbaijani people committed a century ago.
“I am sure that one day that western Azerbaijanis, their children and grandchildren will enthusiastically and happily return to their homeland,” declared Aliyev.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry was quick to accuse Aliyev of voicing “new territorial claims and threats of use of force” against Armenia. It said his remarks are aimed at “torpedoing the peace process” and demonstrate that Baku is “in no way interested in the establishment of peace and stability in the South Caucasus.”
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry rejected the criticism. It said that Armenia itself “has not renounced territorial claims to Azerbaijan.”
Ever since the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh Aliyev has repeatedly threatened to forcibly open a corridor to Azerbaijan’s Nakhichevan exclave through Syunik, the only Armenian province bordering Iran.
Tehran has responded by warning that it would not tolerate any changes to Iran’s border with Armenia. It has also backed full Armenian control of all transport links passing through Syunik.
Aliyev’s made his latest claims about “western Azerbaijan” as his administration faced growing international pressure to reopen the sole road connecting Karabakh to Armenia blocked by Azerbaijani protesters since December 12. The Azerbaijani leader said on Saturday that he will not bow to the pressure.