BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. Return to Western Azerbaijan (historical lands of Azerbaijan located in modern-day Armenia’s territory) is a sensitive and important issue for Azerbaijani society and state, Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov said, TurkicWorld reports.

Khalafov made the remark at public hearings on the topic "Overcoming mountains: Peaceful and legal return to Western Azerbaijan" organized by the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights.

"The return of Western Azerbaijanis is the dream and national goal of the entire Azerbaijani people, and not just our compatriots who have been expelled from Western Azerbaijan for many years. It’s relevant to raise the issue of return to Western Azerbaijan at the present time, in the context of the new political realities that emerged after the 2020 Second Karabakh War," he said.

The official noted that this issue should be approached from the national and state positions.

Khalafov stressed that the potential of the Community of Western Azerbaijan fully allows the implementation of the 'Concept of Return' put forward by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

Previously, on January 27, 2023, the ‘Concept of Return’ to Western Azerbaijan was adopted at the final meeting of the Supervisory Board of the Community of Western Azerbaijan.

According to the concept, the Community of Western Azerbaijan will initiate contacts with the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the government of the Republic of Armenia, permanent members of the UN Security Council, the countries in the region, and other relevant states and organizations in order to formulate the international legal framework of return.