AZE.US
Azerbaijan is not considering a forced scenario for the return of Azerbaijanis to Armenia, Azerbaijani political analyst Ilgar Velizade said, arguing that the issue should be handled through political dialogue and eventual agreements between the sides.
Speaking on the YouTube channel Daily Europe Online, Velizade commented on claims circulating in the Armenian and Russian information space about alleged behind-the-scenes arrangements for the return of Azerbaijanis to Armenia. He described such claims as part of an information campaign aimed at stirring fears inside Armenian society ahead of elections.
According to Velizade, the issue of return remains on Azerbaijan’s agenda, but not in the form presented by propagandists or political opponents of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
He said Azerbaijan does seek a political solution that would make the return of Azerbaijanis possible in the foreseeable future. But he stressed that this is not a question of tanks, force or imposed rules.
“This should happen through dialogue,” Velizade said, noting that the process would require a long political conversation between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
The analyst said some media figures are trying to use the topic to create panic in Armenia and damage Pashinyan’s political position. In his view, the idea is to portray any possible discussion of return as a secret concession by Yerevan, even though no forced scenario is being discussed.
Velizade also linked the issue to broader attempts to manipulate Armenian public opinion. He said such narratives are designed to frighten voters and strengthen forces opposed to normalization with Azerbaijan.
At the same time, he said the question itself cannot be dismissed. The return of Azerbaijanis to their former places of residence in Armenia remains a serious political matter that will require negotiation, guarantees and a gradual approach.
For Baku, Velizade argued, the key point is that any return process must be negotiated, orderly and political – not militarized.
The broader message, he said, is that Azerbaijan is pursuing its goals through dialogue and institutional mechanisms, while hostile information campaigns are trying to turn those goals into a scare story for the Armenian public.
AZE.US