On 3–4 July, the 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was held in the city of Khankendi, Republic of Azerbaijan. During the summit, President Ilham Aliyev raised the issue of the return of Azerbaijanis expelled from Western Azerbaijan, and the matter was reflected in the final Khankendi Communiqué.
According to Azernews, this was stated in a declaration by the Community of Western Azerbaijan.
The statement emphasizes that the inclusion of the Western Azerbaijan issue in such a prestigious international format is of great importance in terms of strengthening international support for the peaceful, safe, and dignified return of Azerbaijanis to their historical lands.
"The Community of Western Azerbaijan expresses its deep gratitude to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, for consistently and resolutely bringing the issue of return to the international agenda and for ensuring clear international support on this matter," the statement concludes.
