Meeting of President Ilham Aliyev with the community of West Azerbaijan

On December 24, 2022, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev got acquainted with the conditions created in the administrative building of the West Azerbaijan Community and met with a group of intellectuals from West Azerbaijan. The head of state was informed about the conditions created in the building. It was reported that the West Azerbaijan Community is the legal successor of the "Azerbaijan Refugee Society" Public Union, which has been operating since 1989. On August 3 of this year, the name of the Public Union was changed to "West Azerbaijan Community", and the new Charter of the Community was approved. In the community, structures such as Observation, Elders, Intellectuals, Women and Guardians councils, Management Board, Control-Inspection Commission, Youth Union, representative offices in foreign countries were created and elections were held. It was reported that the organization has been dealing with the problems of West Azerbaijan refugees since 1989 and is the only public institution that collects and stores facts and documents about Azerbaijanis who became refugees in 1988-1991. In 1988-1991, more than 50,000 families expelled from Western Azerbaijan suffered damage to 20,000, and these works are currently being continued. In those years, accurate statistics of refugees expelled from nearly 300 settlements in Western Azerbaijan were conducted for each family (name, surname, patronymic), and the list of 130 villages was completed. The organization continues to prepare an accurate list of all examples of our historical and cultural heritage in Western Azerbaijan. It was brought to attention that the building that previously housed the Shusha City Executive Authority and "Return to Karabagh" Public Union in Baku was renovated and equipped with necessary equipment after being put to use by the Community. The four-story building with a total area of ​​1280 square meters has 23 offices, meeting and conference rooms, as well as various auxiliary rooms. In the building, there are photo booths depicting the activities of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and the first lady Mehriban Aliyeva, as well as information about prominent intellectuals from Western Azerbaijan, paintings on the monuments of Western Azerbaijan, 5 archival maps, speeches of the Great Leader and President Ilham Aliyev about Western Azerbaijan. reflective video materials are shown. Scientific, artistic and journalistic works of scientists and writers from Western Azerbaijan are also exhibited in the building. After getting acquainted with the building, President Ilham Aliyev met with a group of intellectuals from Western Azerbaijan. The head of state made an introductory speech at the meeting. Introductory speech of President Ilham Aliyev - I am in this building for the second time. Twelve years ago, I participated in the opening of the building. I must also inform you that this building was built on my instructions and was designed for IDPs, the organization of IDPs from Karabakh was located in this building. This is the second time I am here, and the West Azerbaijan Community is already located in this building. Today we celebrate the handing over of this building to the West Azerbaijan Community. As you know, in August, the Azerbaijan Refugee Society was transformed into the West Azerbaijan Community, and I thought that this building should be the most appropriate place, the most appropriate headquarters. Not only because it is a very beautiful building, it has four floors and has all the facilities for activities, it is located almost opposite the Heydar Aliyev Center. The main reason was that the IDP community of Karabakh, which once settled here, is already returning to their lands. I am sure that the day will come and our compatriots from West Azerbaijan, their relatives, children and grandchildren will return to our historical land, West Azerbaijan. I am sure that this day will come and I am sure that the West Azerbaijanis will return to their native lands with great enthusiasm and enthusiasm. There are many reasons for this. Probably the most important of them is the historical memory of our people. Today, the example of Agali village of Zangilan district gives reason to say this. Today, the vast majority of people living in Agalı village of Zangilan district, as well as children and young people, have never seen those lands that are native to them. Longing for the land and love for the Motherland made them go there. Among them, there are not a few even those who go from Baku and Sumgait. In other words, this is a feature of our people, the land always attracts. I am sure that Western Azerbaijanis also live with this idea and this dream. Western Azerbaijan is our historical land, this is confirmed by many historical documents, historical maps, and our history. Unfortunately, Armenians destroyed all our historical and religious monuments in Western Azerbaijan, as in Karabakh, they wanted to erase the historical heritage of Azerbaijanis, but they could not do it. Because there is history, there are documents, there are maps. The map displayed in this building dating back to the beginning of the 20th century once again shows that Western Azerbaijan is the historical land of Azerbaijan, the names of cities and villages are of Azerbaijani origin, and we know very well that the Azerbaijani people have lived in the territory of today's Armenia throughout history. Now the main task is to let the world community know about it. Work has already started in this direction. However, I am sure that the community will conduct these activities in a more purposeful and result-oriented manner. For centuries, our people have made great sacrifices to protect their rights and to live in their historical lands. But despite this, our people have been deprived of their native lands at various times in history. The 20th century brought great tragedies for our people in this regard. In one of its first decisions, the newly established Azerbaijan People's Republic in 1918 practically donated our historical city - Yerevan to Armenia. It was an unforgivable step, it was treason and it was a crime. We all know this very well, and our people should know it too. We must never distort our history. There were glorious pages in our history, and unfortunately, there were also dark pages. I have repeatedly expressed my opinion about the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and its short-term activity. I highly appreciated the activities of the founders of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. It was indeed the first republic in the Muslim world on a global scale, although it lasted only two years. However, at the same time, we should not forget the black pages of our history, we should not cover them up. First, historical truth should not be presented in a distorted form. Secondly, this tragic event should be a lesson for all of us. At that time, there were people who tried to explain this decision with various reasons, and there are still people today. However, I think that no explanation is acceptable, because the Armenians were not satisfied with this step. If anyone thought that Armenia and Armenians would be content with depriving Yerevan of its native land without the knowledge of the people living there, it was a big mistake, and subsequent history has shown it once again. In 1920, by the decision of the Soviet government and the insistence of Armenian nationalists, Zangezur, our other historical land, was separated from Azerbaijan and joined to Armenia. This was another crime against our people. The purpose of this was clear. First, Armenian nationalists held important positions in the Soviet government. On the other hand, it was a step taken to separate Azerbaijan from Nakhchivan and Turkey from a geographical point of view. In other words, see how many great troubles were brought to our people in just two years. If someone thought that by giving Yerevan to Armenia in 1918, we could have insured ourselves against some bigger troubles, look, giving Zangezur to Armenia once again shows that it was a very wrong, wrong step and, as I said, treason. Even in the face of a force that is stronger than you, you should never step back, you should always protect your rights, especially your native land. The tragedies of Western Azerbaijanis did not end there. We all know very well that in 1948-1953 our people were subjected to another deportation. This was another crime committed by the Soviet government against the West Azerbaijanis and the people of Azerbaijan as a whole. At the same time, it was a great injustice, dishonesty. Because the Second World War ended only 3 years ago. The people of Azerbaijan have shown great sacrifice. 300,000 people from Soviet Azerbaijan alone died. Tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis who lived in Soviet Armenia at that time also died. Azerbaijan played an exceptional role in the Victory over fascism in the Second World War. Without Azerbaijani oil, the Soviet state could never win. Everyone knows that. These numbers have been repeated many times. Approximately 70, 80, 90 percent of gasoline, lubricants and oil were supplied from Azerbaijan. Despite all this, the commission of another crime against our people is, I say again, a great dishonesty, and our people were subjected to another deportation under the name of a false pretext. Finally, in the late 1980s, the Soviet government committed another crime against our people. This time, both Armenian nationalists and their patrons in the Soviet government, who took advantage of the resignation of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, took immediate action. Two weeks after Heydar Aliyev was removed from all positions in November 1987, Armenian nationalists revolted. The Soviet government supported them and another crime was started against our people both in Karabakh and in the former Republic of Armenia. Azerbaijanis were deported from the historical land of West Azerbaijan, and we know and remember this history well, and we also know the number of places where Azerbaijanis lived - only Azerbaijanis lived in more than 170 villages. I am referring to the former Armenia, the Republic of Armenia, Azerbaijanis were the majority in about 90 villages, and Azerbaijanis lived in more than 300 towns and villages. All of them were forced out of Armenia for 3 years, expelled, many of them were killed and tortured. All these crimes happened before the eyes of the Soviet government. Our last village, Nuvedi, was deported in August 1991. As if it were lost, a crime was committed against our people in Karabakh. The occupation of Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur was our next tragedy. That is, see how many great troubles our people faced only in the 20th century. However, he did not break, did not bend, did not lose faith, gathered strength and eventually achieved what he wanted. Two years ago, we honorably fulfilled our historical mission, restored justice, expelled the enemies from our lands, and restored the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Today, we live in the liberated lands, build, create, remove the ruins and try to show the world that come, look, open your eyes, it is your beloved Armenian people who committed these atrocities. These crimes were committed not by people from some alien planet, but by your beloved and protected Armenian people, who destroyed mosques, destroyed historical monuments, destroyed graves, and committed unspeakable atrocities. They did the same in Western Azerbaijan. Simply, the world community does not see it, or does not want to see it. Just like the Armenian atrocities in Karabakh were actually not approved by anyone. However, the fact-finding mission of the OSCE was sent to the occupied lands twice. But when we look at their report, we still see double standards. On the one hand, they were forced to admit those brutalities, destructions, and illegal settlement, on the other hand, they took a balanced approach and put the invader and the occupied on the same level. Therefore, the devastation caused by Armenians in Western Azerbaijan must be conveyed to the world community. I am sure that the West Azerbaijan Community will do it with the support of the Azerbaijan state. As a whole, the world community should be given more information about the sufferings of our people in the 20th century. We always tell the truth. Tens of thousands of foreign citizens who came to the liberated lands can see with their own eyes what atrocities our people have been subjected to. Today, the large-scale construction works going on there once again show the will of our people. Again, we see the historical memory of our people in the example of Agalı village. Because children and young people who have never seen the place have returned there. I am sure that we will see the same in Western Azerbaijan. This year ends. Many important events took place during the year. We had to carry out a military operation on the Azerbaijan-Armenia border. As a result of this military operation, our historical cities are now in front of our eyes through visual observation. Today we are already on the shore of Bala Goyce. Today we see Goyche Lake without binoculars. First, I think it's fair. Second, the September clashes will insure us against major problems in the future. Because revanchist forces are emerging in Armenia, whether they are in power or in the opposition, it doesn't really matter to us. Because the consciousness of the society in Armenia has been so poisoned, Azerbaijanophobia has spread so widely that there is no one left who actually has normal thinking - I mean the political sphere. That's why they live with the idea of ​​revenge. They still hope that someone will come and fight with us instead of them, and they will, as always, hide behind some protector and carry out their cunning plans against us. Well, in order to insure ourselves against this, we definitely had to have more favorable positions in the direction of the Azerbaijan-Armenia border, and we achieved this. Even the mountains of Nakhchivan can be seen from the heights where we are located today. That is, this is truly a historical achievement. The liberation of Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur on the battlefield is a historical event and will remain in the history of Azerbaijan as long as Azerbaijan stands. Both our military and political successes achieved this year lay the foundation for the future. It was a lesson both for return, for security, and for those who don't want to accept Azerbaijan as a strong state, and it showed once again that no one and nothing can stop us. I have already said it several times, and I want to say it again today. Today's events on Lachin road caused another anti-Azerbaijani hysteria. Here, not only Armenia, but perhaps even more than them, their patrons abroad, the states standing behind them, have started a smear campaign against Azerbaijan, and at the time we are meeting today, another provocation is being prepared against us at the UN. For several days now, some countries chosen with special zeal are determined to carry out their next dirty plans against us. But they still can't get anything, they have been struggling for several days. They will try their best next week. That is, the incident on Lachin road is clear as day. This is our legitimate right. Our natural resources are exploited, our natural resources are transported. Those who exploit our natural resources are criminals according to any international legal norm. Because this is our territory recognized by the international community and we have a rightful demand that our public representatives and, first of all, representatives of state institutions should conduct monitoring. They should see what is going on there and that illegal activity should be stopped. This is our rightful demand. But today this situation is presented in a completely distorted way. Again lie, again slander, again slander, we all know who does it. I say again, the state of Armenia is not in the first ranks here. But this will not deter us from anything. We have already proven this many times, and the Second Karabakh war showed it, and the two years after the war showed it. No one can influence us. There may be calls, there may be some statements, you don't need to pay attention to them. We answer these calls simply out of political courtesy. But this will not change our position in the slightest. I think that it is very important for all of us that the West Azerbaijan Community will continue to function in a more organized way - both for people from West Azerbaijan and for all the people of Azerbaijan. I believe that we should conduct this work in a more purposeful way from now on. In other words, the organization has been established, the community has been established, and the state authorities have shown and will show their support. Further instructions will be given by me. Therefore, I believe that the community should continue its work in several directions. Of course, the activity of this community should be more visible in the country. In any case, the activity of this community can be very important within Azerbaijan. At the same time, I think that the Community should have an activity at the international level that is no less important than this. Because we must bring these truths to the attention of the world community, just as we brought the truths of Karabakh. In fact, we were able to completely change the distorted perception of the Karabakh conflict in the early 1990s. The information war and the Second Karabakh war showed that it is not of little importance. Therefore, the activity of the Community abroad should be of special importance here. Exhibitions, presentations, international conferences should be held. Actions should be held together with Azerbaijani diaspora organizations. We have diaspora organizations in many countries, and this year we held a congress of historical Azerbaijani diaspora organizations in Shusha. Contacts should be established with political circles, press and legislative bodies of foreign countries. That is, we must rightfully demand our right. This is a right enshrined in all international conventions. West Azerbaijanis are a community that has been illegally deported many times. Their rights must be restored and they must return to their native lands. When I say this, I predict that next time hysteria will start in Armenia that Azerbaijan came and invaded us and so on. Nope. We want to do it peacefully. We want to secure our rights through peaceful means, and again, all conventions recognize this right. Therefore, in order to achieve this, we must be more active, including at the international level. I believe that the Community should have a very reliable digital platform, a portal. Both historical truths and our historical monuments, palaces, mosques, cities destroyed by Armenians, facts related to erasure of Azerbaijan's historical heritage should be reflected there. For example, now they are starting to know this in the world and they are asking - we asked this question, the representatives of Azerbaijan, the people dealing with this issue asked - now let's see where the historical center of Yerevan is? Where is the historical center of Yerevan? If you say that it is supposedly the oldest city in the world. Where is its historical center? Look now, look at other countries of the South Caucasus - in Azerbaijan, Georgia, in our cities, in most cities there are historical monuments and historical centers. Be it Baku, Ganja, Nakhchivan, Sheki, Gabala or all other cities. So, how can it be that there is no historical center in Yerevan? Let them answer this simple question. The answer is clear as day. Because this historical center was the historical heritage of the Azerbaijani people, which they destroyed. Under the name of urban development, all our historical buildings, including the Yerevan fortress and the Sardar palace, were destroyed. That is, all this should be shown. In other words, apart from the political and legal side, the historical nature of it is also important in any issue. Therefore, our work should be based on this history. As for the legal side, we must think together, international lawyers must be involved. The state of Azerbaijan will help here as well. They will show how to realize this desire and right of return at the international level. Of course, our books on historical facts should be updated. Books were published in a certain period, including a book about the names of our historical cities and villages. You are the author of that book. I have seen him. But have many people seen him in Azerbaijan now? Nope. I don't know with what circulation it was published. That is, you did it yourself as an initiative, in the way you could. But we have to do it at the state level. That booklet should be translated into all languages. It should also have an electronic carrier. It should be translated into foreign languages. That is, these propaganda works must be carried out. I believe that an international conference on Western Azerbaijan should be held in Baku once a year or every two years. We will invite scientists, archaeologists, historians from the countries we consider our friends to hold a prestigious international conference and present it. That is, many steps should be taken so that this topic does not leave the agenda, but instead, this topic is included in the international agenda. Because today Armenia is a monostate. When we say this, we are rightly telling the world community that this is intolerable. Now in the Eurasian space, in the region where we are located, which country is a monostate? So, why is Armenia a monostate? The answer is clear, because they did not allow other nations to live there. They took those people out of there in different ways, they killed some, threatened some, and burned someone's house. Thus, they expelled all other nations from there and established a state for themselves in someone else's land. Armenia has never been in this area. Today's Armenia is our land. When I say this many times, they object to me, they try to object that I have a territorial claim. I say this as a historical fact. If someone can confirm another version, please do so. When was the Armenian people transferred to our lands? We all know well. When was it transferred to Karabakh? When was Zangezura transferred? Moved by whom? How was it transferred and for what purpose? We know them all well. They never had a state in our territory, in the South Caucasus. If it ever happened - it is not yet clear whose state they want to claim in their name - it happened somewhere else. Therefore, we must present them in a purposeful, organized manner, in the correct form. I am sure we will achieve it. In parallel with this, I believe that we should also work on the concept of return to Western Azerbaijan with joint efforts. After the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, this is the issue on our agenda. Of course, it was perhaps too early to talk about it until the Karabakh conflict was resolved. However, I think we should not waste time today. A Return Concept should be developed. Still, it should be a peaceful concept, as they say. We should take the provisions acceptable to us in all international conventions and claim our right based on it. There must be a Concept of Return. Many, indeed most, of our historic dwellings are now empty. We know that. We know our past well. Every person from Western Azerbaijan knows well the places where his great-grandfathers lived. Now this information can be obtained in different ways. Nobody lives in most of the places where Azerbaijanis live. Armenia as a whole is now in a period of depopulation. People go there. There is no natural growth, but at the same time, the intolerable political situation, repressions, virtual dictatorship and economic difficulties make them do it. Our villages are being destroyed. We can't stand it. That's why we have to work on the Return Concept. This should be a multi-digit document. Of course, there will definitely be other offers. I would just like to share my thoughts on your future activities during this meeting today. Of course, I will wait for your suggestions. The community should, as they say, give great importance to these works both within its capabilities and with the support of the Azerbaijani state. I am sure that we will achieve it. I must say once again that this place was not chosen for the community by chance, it has a symbolic meaning. The Karabaghs who settled in this building have either returned to Karabakh or are preparing to return. The West Azerbaijanis living here will also return, I hope. x x x Then there were performances. Chairman of the Board of the West Azerbaijan Community, MP Aziz Alakbarov said: - Dear Mr. President. Honorable Muzaffar Commander-in-Chief. On behalf of the leadership and all members of the West Azerbaijan Community, we warmly welcome you and express our deep gratitude for the comprehensive conditions you have created for us to fight for our historical lands. Dear Mr. President, today the people of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijanis of the world and the whole Turkic world are proud of you. As a result of the 44-day Patriotic War, you gave our people a great Victory that has no analogues in the last 270 years of Azerbaijan's history. That's why I say in the last 270 years of the history of Azerbaijan, exactly 270 years ago, Azerbaijan was divided into khanates, and this division was the beginning of all the tragedies that happened to our people in the last two hundred years. Shortly after this division, our territories were occupied by foreigners, our population was subjected to repeated deportations, genocides, and ethnic cleansing. This historical process, full of tragedies, lasted exactly 200 years. Only on September 27, 2020, with your political will, diplomatic power and military leadership skills, this 200-year historical process was stopped and the countdown began. First of all, our lands, which were under occupation for 30 years, were liberated from the enemy. Today, we have absolutely no doubts that this countdown will continue until the zero point of 200 years ago, and we Western Azerbaijanis will also have the opportunity to return to our historical lands. Dear Mr. President, we thank you once again for your support and the conditions you have created for an institution that has been operating under the name of the Azerbaijan Refugee Society for many years to continue its activities today as the West Azerbaijan Community. This gives us new strength in our struggle to return to our historical lands. In fact, the foundation of this struggle was laid by Great Leader Heydar Aliyev with the historic decrees "On Deportation" signed on December 18, 1997 and "On the Genocide of Azerbaijanis" signed on March 26, 1998. To continue this struggle and bring it to an end is the civic duty of each of us and our filial duty to the spirit of the Great Leader. Dear Mr. President, as the West Azerbaijan Community, we are aware of the heavy and honorable burden we shoulder, and we assure you that the truth of West Azerbaijan will be studied, communicated to the world community, Armenian frauds, Armenian lies will be exposed to the end, and Azerbaijanis expelled from West Azerbaijan in the last 200 years, We will do everything possible to bring the rights of their heirs to the international level, to restore them, and to punish the Armenian state and Armenian nationalists in international courts for all these crimes. Taking this opportunity, we thank you for your decrees that laid the foundation for the spiritual return to the lands of Western Azerbaijan. Over the past year and a half, your orders regarding the 200th anniversary of Ashiq Alasgar, the erection of Ashiq Alasgar's statue in Baku, the 140th anniversary of the Yerevan Teachers' Seminary and the Yerevan State Azerbaijan Drama Theater are a shining example of taking ownership of our spiritual heritage in our historical lands. This year marks the 190th anniversary of another educational institution in Western Azerbaijan - the first secular school in Yerevan, the Yerevan District School, and the 140th anniversary of the Yerevan Gymnasium, which was established on its basis. Aziz Aliyev, the great scientist and statesman of Azerbaijan, graduated from that gymnasium in 1918 with a gold medal. Dear Mr. President, today is a historic day for our people. It is the birthday of our Supreme Commander-in-Chief Muzaffar, who returned our Karabakh, Eastern Zangezur, and Shusha to our people, brought pride to our people, and pride to our state. On this occasion, we heartily congratulate you on behalf of all members of the West Azerbaijan Community. We thank you once again for taking the time to be with us on this important day of your destiny. In the end, I want you to know that like all the people of Azerbaijan, like all Azerbaijanis of the world, we Western Azerbaijanis, who are a part of them, are by your side in all your activities until our last breath. Thank you. x x x Misir Mardanov, chairman of the Supervisory Board of the West Azerbaijan Community, director of the Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics, corresponding member of ANAS, said: - Dear Mr. President. Dear event participants. Good morning, I greet each of you from the bottom of my heart. As Mr. President mentioned here today, our compatriots living in Western Azerbaijan in the 20th century were displaced from their ancestral lands four times due to their ethnicity as a result of Armenian atrocities. After the last deportation in 1988, the Azerbaijan Refugee Society was created in order to achieve social and cultural unity of these people. I want to give clarity to all our compatriots on the occasion of the start of activity of the West Azerbaijan Community, which was reorganized on the basis of that society, so that your eyes are clear. We express our infinite gratitude to Mr. President, who took great care of the realization of this dream, and who raised the essence of our event and the community many times with his participation here today - December 24. In fact, Western Azerbaijanis, who were forced to leave their native land for decades, united in various institutions and constantly expressed their protests and demands, and repeatedly tried to draw attention to this issue at the international level. In the past, several mass media, newspapers, websites were created, hundreds of articles and dozens of books were written dedicated to the history, traditions and other issues of our ancestral homeland. However, Mr. President, who knows better than anyone what to do, how and when to do it, after the liberation of our ancestral lands under the occupation of Armenia for almost 30 years, he advised the unification of this community into a single institution, in fact, he took ownership of the community and created conditions for its activity. demonstrated that it is important. Indeed, this glorious Victory, which is one of the most important events of our last 500-year, perhaps even greater history, once again demonstrated to the whole world the determination, perseverance, military-political will of the Victorious Commander-in-Chief. Our people valued this Victory as a national holiday, and everyone from the rank and file to the Commander-in-Chief congratulated each other from the bottom of their hearts. On behalf of our community, I congratulate Mr. President from the bottom of my heart on the occasion of the magnificent Victory, which restored the confidence of our people, demonstrated the power, indomitable will, and strength of our Army at the international level, using today's opportunity. This Victory is particularly important as a bright manifestation of the freedom ideals of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, who loves Azerbaijan with infinite love. We express our gratitude to the victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, who made his wills come true, brought Azerbaijan through all the labyrinths of world politics with great skill, gave us the joy of Victory, recognized our country as a winning state in the world, and our people as a proud people. Dear Mr. President. About a year ago, you highly appreciated my simple work and awarded me with the 1st degree "For Service to the Motherland" order, one of the highest awards of the Motherland. Taking advantage of our meeting today, I express my deep gratitude to you for your high attention and I want to say that like all our people, I feel great satisfaction in serving this victorious Motherland led by you, and I promise to serve this state, people, and country faithfully until the end of my life. I would like to inform you that, inspired by your wise policy in this field, this year I have finished the book based on historical sources called "Truths of Western Azerbaijan" and presented it to the readers. Dear participants of the event, at the end of my speech, I want to say that I am sure that with the wise leadership of Mr. President, in the near future, we will be able to meet the realities we dreamed of, and we will be able to go to our native lands and visit the graves of our ancestors and the holy monuments there. I wish all of us success on this path. Thank you again. x x x Chairman of the Women's Council of the West Azerbaijan Community, MP Malahat Ibrahimgizi said: - Your Excellency, Mr. President. Let me greet you on behalf of the Women's Council of the West Azerbaijan Community and our many refugee sisters and mothers who were displaced from their native lands as a result of Armenian aggression. It is undoubtedly a great honor for me to speak at this supreme assembly, but it is equally difficult and responsible to speak in front of you, Your Excellency, the Victorious Commander-in-Chief. Dear Mr. President, the people of Azerbaijan are still experiencing the inexhaustible joy of the magnificent Victory we won in the 44-day Patriotic War under your victorious leadership and will continue to live with this joy. In the Patriotic War, which is a symbol of your unshakable and determined political will and written in the world military history as the "Iron Fist" operation, the world Armenianness, which has a history of several centuries with the heroism of our brave national Army and the national unity of our people, suffered an eternal defeat, and Karabakh, which was in the hands of the enemy for 30 years, was liberated. , the rights of our forcibly displaced compatriots were restored in their native lands. We must say with pride that with this Victory, which is an inexhaustible spiritual wealth for future generations, you have restored historical justice and introduced our nation to the world as a victorious, honorable and proud invincible nation. Thank you very much, Mr. President. We must say with gratitude that the decisions you made for the sake of the national interests of Azerbaijan during your activity increase the welfare of our people and the power and prestige of our state in the world year after year. By faithfully implementing all the wills of our Great Leader Heydar Aliyev, thanks to your visionary policy that responds to the challenges of the modern era, and with your rich state management experience, Azerbaijan is experiencing a renaissance period in its history today. During the past years, you did not only fight for Karabakh, you declared to the world in the most prestigious positions, at the most difficult moments, that Iravan, Zangezur and Goycha are the historical lands of Azerbaijan and that the people of Azerbaijan will never reconcile with this historical injustice. Your profound thoughts, which you voiced with wisdom and which are memorized in languages ​​today, such as "I know what, how and when to do... this" are the road map for the activities of the West Azerbaijan Community. As a result of your purposeful policy, the world, which is a fist for the liberation of Karabakh, is waiting for the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Muzaffar to restore the lost rights of thousands of our refugee compatriots who have been subjected to ethnic cleansing, genocide, and deportation from time to time on the historical lands of Azerbaijan. We are sure that with your principledness, wise and far-sighted diplomacy, the power of our state and our national unity, our people will achieve their goal in their righteous struggle. Honorable Mr. President, I must say with great respect that the first vice-president of our republic, Honorable Mehriban Aliyeva, has made numerous contributions to the ancient, as well as all-Turkic and universal culture of our people, and Azerbaijan today is this ancient and rich culture with the tireless activity and successful cultural diplomacy. it is promoted and appreciated as the world's center of tolerance with its culture. The highest state care shown to the families of our martyrs, veterans and war veterans who died for the sake of our territorial integrity and the freedom of our lands is the proof of your noble and humane deeds. Dear Mr. President, with your unparalleled and selfless services to the people of Azerbaijan, you are an example for today's and future generations, and you are the pride, pride, support and place of trust of the Azerbaijanis of the world, as well as every Western Azerbaijani. In this supreme assembly, we would like to assure you once again that every member of the West Azerbaijan Community, as well as the Women's Council of the Community, will support your holy political course with all their strength and will be your armed soldier on the way to restore the lost rights of our people over the usurped historical lands of Azerbaijan. Thank you very much for your attention. God bless you! May God protect your family! x x x Academician Ahliman Amiraslanov, chairman of the Council of Elders of the West Azerbaijan Community, member of the Milli Majlis, said: - Dear Mr. President. Joining these congratulations, I sincerely congratulate you on your birthday, I wish you a long life, good health and lots of success in your future activities. I think it is a historical event that the heirs of people deported from West Azerbaijan came together today to establish the West Azerbaijan Community. We are witness of your attention and care, starting from the first stage of the creation of the community until today. Your coming to the West Azerbaijan Community and being with us on this special day for you is a clear example of this attention and care. On behalf of the elders and intellectuals of the West Azerbaijan Community, I express my deep gratitude and sincere gratitude to you for this care and attention. Dear Mr. President, as you mentioned in your speech, the most important task of the West Azerbaijan Community is to return to Goyche, Yerevan, which is the historical land of West Azerbaijan. Today, the West Azerbaijan Community and we have a large number of elders from West Azerbaijan who have rendered great services in the scientific, cultural, social and political life of Azerbaijan, and the flow to the Community continues today. As mentioned here, honorable Mr. President, thanks to your leadership of the brave Azerbaijani Army as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, our heroic Army freed our lands from occupation, and our territorial integrity was restored. This great historical Victory created the right of the West Azerbaijanis to return to their native lands, created hope for them to return. Dear Mr. President, the attitude towards people deported from West Azerbaijan has not been the same in different periods. As a result of the step-like attitude of the political authorities to them in different periods, these people suffered great deprivations and suffered losses. This is a historical fact that only after the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev came to power, as well as during all periods of his rule, attention and care were paid to these people and successful steps were taken to solve many of their problems. Legal and political assessment of this great tragedy was not given at the time. After the decrees signed by Great Leader Heydar Aliyev after coming to power for the second time in Azerbaijan, this deportation and genocide was given a legal and political assessment, and serious steps were taken to systematically investigate and publicize these events and this tragedy on a large scale. Despite all this, Mr. President, intellectuals from Western Azerbaijan have made great contributions to Azerbaijan's science, education, healthcare, culture, and art. Today, I am very proud of those intellectuals, the great socio-political figure, statesman Aziz Aliyev, academicians Mustafa Bey Topchubashov, Heydar Huseynov, Zarifa Aliyeva, Hasan Aliyev, Jalal Aliyev, the great master Ashiq Alasgar, our great composer Said Rustamov, our great literary critics. I would like to mention the names of Jafar Khanda, Mirali Seyidov and our director Huseyn Seyidzade. Even today, these people are remembered with great respect by the esteemed people of Azerbaijan. Dear Mr. President, thanks to your power and successful foreign and domestic policy, we are sure that the day when Western Azerbaijanis will return to their historical lands is not far away. Today we are in Karabakh, Shusha, Lachin, Kalbajar. Our next address and next target is our historical lands - Western Azerbaijan. Taking this opportunity, I express my deep gratitude and sincere gratitude to you for appreciating my work and for awarding me with the 1st degree "Order of Service to the Fatherland", one of the highest orders of Azerbaijan. I emphasize once again that I will serve faithfully. Thank you for your attention. X X X Rector of Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction, professor Gulchohra Mammadova made a speech and said: - Dear Mr. President. Thank you very much for meeting with us and for taking the time. This meeting is a manifestation of your attention and concern for the ancient lands of Iravan, Goycha, Zangezur, Agbaba, which are a part of great Azerbaijan, and for the people of those lands. Meeting with you, the President of our country, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Muzaffar is a great honor for each of us and an event that we will remember for the rest of our lives. Your policy, which serves the economic and social development of our country, the increase of its international reputation, the rise of the well-being of our people and the provision of a better future, has won the deep sympathy of all Azerbaijani citizens. Western Azerbaijanis settled in all regions of our republic are also happy and proud of the great successes achieved under your leadership and the increase of the power of Azerbaijan. Western Azerbaijan is a historical region of Azerbaijan with rich history, culture, and traditions. The architecture, folk art, and music traditions of this region have deep roots and a unique face. The harsh climatic conditions of the mountainous areas and the hard-working farm life have also affected the character of the people living in these lands. Hard work, endurance, patriotism, loyalty to language, religion, national-spiritual values ​​and traditions are the characteristics of Western Azerbaijanis. Great enthusiasm and respect for science, education, sympathy for progressive culture have led to the development of prominent politicians, science and culture figures among the people of the region. In the 20th century, the hostile policy of Armenian nationalists aimed at usurping our lands further increased the love of the West Azerbaijanis for the Motherland and the feelings of patriotism. The deportations carried out by the Soviet authorities displaced the West Azerbaijanis from their homes and resulted in numerous casualties. These difficulties strengthened us even more, strengthened our national fanaticism and statehood ideology. Western Azerbaijanis have deeply loved the great Heydar Aliyev since the Soviet era, when he led Azerbaijan, and looked at him as the father and savior of the nation. In the 1970s and 1980s, they continued the pressures they were subjected to in Armenia, relying only on Heydar Aliyev's influence and power as a politician. The departure of Heydar Aliyev from the leadership of the Soviet government was the beginning of the subsequent bitter fate of the West Azerbaijanis. Dear Mr. President, during the 44 days of the Patriotic War, all our people united like a fist and lived with one dream and one hope. We were living the happiest moments of our lives hearing the good news of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief about the clearing of our cities and villages from enemies one after the other and finally the liberation of our dear Shusha. At this time, as always, we were with you, every word of yours echoed in our hearts. I think that these moments, these days, were the most beautiful and brightest demonstration of the unity of the President and the people. Our citizens of Western Azerbaijan took part in the First Karabakh War as well as in the Patriotic War. They did everything they could to protect our homeland and free our lands. Western Azerbaijanis have never forgotten their native land. As a part of the great Azerbaijani nation, we have always longed for our small homeland. The Victory of the 44-day war - the liberation of the occupied Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur brought us a little closer to our lands. Now we will be able to stand in the mountains of Kalbajar and Zangilan and see our own land, our own villages, our villages. Dear Mr. President, all our people are grateful to you - the Commander-in-Chief and our brave Army - for the achievement of the great Victory. During the period when you led the country, you brought this Victory closer day by day with your policy. Your loyalty to the ideas of the Great Leader, your wisdom, courage, and will ensured this Victory, and we are sure that it will overcome all attempts of resistance and lead our country to new victories. Dear Mr. President, I express our deep gratitude to you on my behalf and on behalf of our colleagues for giving so much importance to the West Azerbaijan Community. In your program speech, we have already defined our directions for our future activities. I want to assure you that everyone who is here and who is not will do everything in their power, spare nothing and life, to implement what you said and to ensure our return to a beautiful, large and historical part of our Motherland like Western Azerbaijan. I thank you and sincerely congratulate you on your birthday. President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you. Gulchohra Mammadova: Mr. President, we are proud of you, we are truly proud of you from the bottom of our hearts. On the occasion of your birthday, dear Mehriban, I congratulate you and all your relatives and wish you a long, healthy, happy and victorious life. Thank you very much. President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you, thank you very much. x x x Member of the Observation Council of the West Azerbaijan Community, People's Poet Vahid Aziz gave a speech and said: Let the hand talk about your problems, I will write, Let the day ask about your sleep, I will write. Do you remember, my Goycha lake, my land, it is your motherland and this one. Dear Mr. President, the iron-fisted Commander-in-Chief of our heroic Army who won a great Victory over the enemy. The grave of our beloved Alasgar, the lands of our ruined homes where our ancestors lay restlessly, the foundations of our holy places of pilgrimage and mosques, the homeland of Goycha Lake and this one are waiting for us. Today, in this blessed event under your leadership, a light of hope, the light of dreams that are coming true, is sprinkled in the eyes of the places I have listed. I express my deep gratitude to your Excellencies for allowing me to participate and express my opinion at this event. I note that this is the echo of the prayers of not only me, but also of hundreds of thousands of my compatriots who were displaced from their ancestral lands, as well as our family, who were born in the foothills of the Armenian mountains. These people advised me to convey this gratitude when the opportunity arose. Our Honorable Commander-in-Chief, Mr. President, I am the first citizen of West Azerbaijan and the first citizen of Armenia to be awarded the high title of "People's Poet of Azerbaijan" by your decree. Your Excellency, I say Armenian mountains and Armenia because those lands are related to Armenian mountains, not to the name of Armenians. Even Nizami Ganjavi wrote in his work "Khosrov and Shirin": "When summer came, Shiringil's village would move to the Armenian mountains." It seems to me that we should say the word Armenia with the letter "а" and not with "e". Because people should know that these are Armenian mountains and I even have poems about it. Honorable Mr. President, under the flag of your Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the magnificent Victory over the enemy was a bright manifestation of the great faith and respect of our people and our Army for the Motherland, as well as for you. By ensuring this victory, you taught a lesson not only to the four UN resolutions that have lost their influence, but also to those who lead very powerful states that are hostile to us. With the establishment of the West Azerbaijan Community, which was founded today, you wrote over the hateful emigration decree signed by Stalin in December 1947 in obedience to the fatwa of Armenian nationalists! This is a great Victory, a great Victory, and no one could have dared to do it. Today, people displaced from Western Azerbaijan and the souls of those who passed away are looking at the days when they will step into Western Zangezur, for which you fought so bravely, armed with great faith, excitement and love for the Motherland. Bazar Chay, which you have mentioned many times, is only a two-hour drive from Herher village in the Pashali region of Darelaezin, where I was born. I have made a promise, dear President, God willing, we will return to those lands and I will build a mosque on the site of our destroyed house in the village of Herher, where I was born, and name it "Victory Mosque". I would like to take this opportunity to make a couple of suggestions. Because today there are several newspapers published in Azerbaijan, which were created by Western Azerbaijanis. There are "Zangazur", "Derelayaz" newspaper and others. As far as I know, there is "West Azerbaijan" television, Mr. Aziz knows this. It seems to me that we must gather all these things around this Community. Funds should be allocated by the state so that they can work directly. Because information is a very powerful tool, and it seems to me that our community must have a newspaper not only in Azerbaijani, but also in English, German, Arabic and other languages. I have another suggestion. It seems to me that an encyclopedia called Western Azerbaijan should be created in the Republic of Azerbaijan. In Armenia, in Western Azerbaijan - when will we return there, maybe in a year, five years, ten years, time passes - and as long as there are information carriers from Western Azerbaijan in life today, our respected scientists sitting here are all involved in this work should be. The names of every grave, every stone, every mosque at the foot of the Armenian mountains in Western Azerbaijan should be mentioned one by one. For example, Hasan Mirza's 5-6-volume book "Derelayaz" contains certain maps. Thanks for your attention. On behalf of the West Azerbaijanis who love me and memorize my poems, we congratulate you on your birthday. Mr. President, my compatriots have already said that Western Azerbaijanis will always be by your side. x x x After the speeches, the head of state gave the final speech. President Ilham Aliyev's final speech - Thank you very much. All suggestions made here will, of course, be extensively analyzed, and I will be waiting even for suggestions that are not. I should also say that I also think that the activity should be more targeted. Today, working individually, for example, newspaper editorial offices, public associations should now gather together. Just as the West Azerbaijan Community was created, there were separate institutions, public organizations, and non-governmental organizations until then, but with our recommendation, it has been brought together and it will be a more purposeful activity. Including all information resources - newspapers, information portals, as I said, digital platform and so on, work should be done purposefully within the framework of a single concept and policy, and the main goal of this is our return. Now the Great Return Program for Karabakh is being implemented. Hopefully, the time will come when we will run a second Great Return Program. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your kind words about me. In the past, I was usually with the IDPs on December 24, I never celebrated my birthday, but I celebrated it with my family members. I believe that today is no exception, I still celebrate with my family members. When I was fifty years old, I was with IDPs in Agjabadi and I told them that the day will come when you will receive and welcome me in your native land, and I will visit your land, and that day has come. Nine years after that day, we were already in Shusha, and our flag was flying in Shusha. I celebrated my 60th birthday in the Cidir plain, before that I participated in the opening of the military unit in the liberated Hadrut. I certainly had some ideas for December 24th this year. This should also have a symbolic meaning. I thought that the most appropriate event should be our event today. I have to say one thing. When the Karabakh lands were under occupation, over the years, a certain mood of pessimism spread in the society and primarily among the internally displaced persons, that is, its manifestations were already visible. I have had dozens of meetings with displaced people and in recent years I have seen that their hopes are running out and this is natural, I took it for granted. Of course, I could not tell them when, how and what would happen. I tried to convince them that the day will come. But it was natural, because thirty years of longing inevitably had a negative effect on every person. We have been living as a successful nation for two years now. Today I want to say again, the main thing is that we should not lose our faith. We believed that we will return, I have not lost that faith for a single day, we must believe and work and be active to bring this holy day closer. Then we will achieve what we want. Even in many cases during the occupation, I already had the idea that there is no justice in the world. I am sure that the absolute majority of the Azerbaijani people shared this idea. Because it was hard to imagine such injustice. That is, even if we were right, showing so much injustice against us did not fit into any framework. But trust and faith in justice is in people's own hands. We have won justice with our own strength, at the cost of the blood of our martyrs, thanks to the sacrifice of our veterans, the unity of our entire people and our Army, we have restored justice, and we have set an extraordinary example on a global scale. Today, our military operation is studied in the world's leading higher military schools, and the will, perseverance, and indomitable spirit of our people have been memorized by languages. During these more than two years since the Second Karabakh War, I had many meetings with my foreign colleagues, and I can say that most of them asked, how did it happen, how did you achieve this Victory? I used to say that in order to explain this, you should live our life, live these thirty years. How can I describe it? Faith, unity, faith in justice, faith in strength! Therefore, as a nation that won this historical victory, we really created a completely new situation on the world scale. The peoples who lost their faith also believe today, they want to be like us, they want to act like us, they consult with us. That's why today, when we celebrate December 24 here with you, I want to say once again that we and Western Azerbaijanis should never lose faith. We have to believe and at the same time, we have to take steps, we have to be active, we have to work. The day will come when we will have such a wonderful party in Western Azerbaijan and we will remember this day. Thank you.