AK Parti Vice Chairman Zafer Sırakaya stated, “It is our shared responsibility to the future generations to build a South Caucasus based on mutual respect and understanding, where everyone can live in peace within these beautiful lands. We have full confidence that Azerbaijan will take the leading role in shaping this process.”

Sırakaya spoke at the closing session of the international conference titled “Return to Western Azerbaijan: The Supremacy of Human Rights as an Essential Condition.”

He stated that the issues which have occurred in Western Azerbaijan, known throughout history as an ancient homeland for the Turks, is not merely a historical tragedy experienced by a single community, but also a test of the morals for the conscience of our greater humanity.

Sırakaya emphasised that the forced displacement of Azerbaijani Turks from their lands throughout the 20^th Century was carried out through a series of systematic and deliberate processes. He noted that the period from 1905 to 1989, saw waves of forced migration, mass violence, and cultural destruction resulting in the forced movement of the people of Western Azerbaijan from their ancestral homeland.

Sırakaya stated:

• “The massacres have deeply wounded the hearts of the entire Turkic world.”

Sırakaya stressed the statements made by the other panellists during the conference, underlining that human rights are not only a universal concept but also a concrete pursuit for justice.

Sırakaya continued by stating:

“The panellists in the conference emphasised that the right of return to one’s homeland is a fundamental human right recognised under international law.

By liberating its occupied territories, Azerbaijan and the people of Azerbaijan have put an end to this long-standing injustice against themselves and their people. The massacres that took place in Khojaly, Shusha, Kalbajar, and across Karabakh have caused deep sorrow for Azerbaijan and this sorrow has extended across the entire Turkic world.

The greatest dream of The National Leader His Excellency President Heydar Aliyev, whose 102^nd birthday was recently commemorated by ourselves, was liberating Karabakh from its occupation. Thankfully, under the command of His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev, the dream of President Heydar Aliyev has come true, and the 30-year-long occupation that forced over one million innocent Azerbaijanis from their homes and their land has come to an end.

On the occasion of this important conference, I respectfully and gratefully commemorate The National Leader President Heydar Aliyev.”

• “We wholeheartedly welcome the return of the liberated territories.”

Zafer Sırakaya stated that although the international community remained indifferent to acts of vandalism, the Azerbaijani people continue to believe that justice will ultimately prevail.

He underlined that by consistently defending Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and its borders, Türkiye and Azerbaijan have been able to overcome all adversities together.

Zafer Sırakaya continued as follows:

“As actors of diplomacy, we will continue the process of making it crystal clear to our international counterparts that the demand for return is not a political ambition, but a requirement of international law and justice. As a result of this liberation, within the framework of the Great Return initiative launched by Azerbaijan, we warmly welcome the return of approximately 15,000 of our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters to their homelands within these liberated territories.  As Türkiye, we have always stood by the just cause of Azerbaijan and will continue to do so. The stance we hold as Türkiye reflects our fraternal ties and the manifestation of our commitment to justice its application to the principles of international law. This, indeed, is the true meaning of being ‘two states, one nation.’”

Sırakaya identified that another victim of the aggression in the occupied territories was Azerbaijan’s rich cultural heritage. He noted that they have been closely monitoring and following the ongoing efforts of reconstruction in the Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur regions, which aims to revive the region and once again restore the regions cultural heritage.

“With the belief that the future must be built by learning from the past, we support all initiatives launched to discuss the humanitarian, legal, and moral aspects of the issues discussed here today. The presentations, documents, and perspectives shared during this conference and across all panels from the panellists, are not merely memories from the past, but are the foundations to build and create a vision for the future.”

Sırakaya added:

“I hope these processes discussed today continue to advance on a legal and diplomatic basis.”

Vice Chairman of AK Parti Zafer Sırakaya continued to explain that this ongoing process can bring about a historic opportunity for the emergence of lasting peace and stability in the region. This progression is driven by the belief that the South Caucasus will prosper and achieve the regional success it rightfully deserves.

Sırakaya highlighted:

“It is our shared responsibility for the future generations to build a South Caucasus where everyone can live in peace. A peace based on the mutual respect and understanding for these beautiful lands. We have full confidence that Azerbaijan will take the leading role in shaping this process.”

Sırakaya continued and concluded his speech with the following words:

“As His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev has stated, “The Turkic World is our common home.” The establishment of a corridor between Nakhchivan and Azerbaijan will not only strengthen Türkiye’s connection with Central Asia, but it will also empower the entire Turkic world. In this regard, Türkiye will continue its efforts to encourage the effective use of this historic opportunity to establish sustainable peace across the region.

Beyond this matters political dimension, I would like to stress that academic initiatives will continue to reinforce the importance of this process and efforts which raise public awareness on the issues discussed today directly correlate with this.

I extend my sincere thanks to all participants of this significant conference held in Türkiye today, and I would like to provide a special recognition to the Western Azerbaijan Community and express my hope that this process will advance constructively on legal and diplomatic grounds.

The panel was also attended by Aziz Alekberov, Chairman of the Board of the Western Azerbaijan Community, Tenzile Rustamkhanli, Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Şamil Ayrım, Chairman of the Türkiye-Azerbaijan Friendship Group and AK Parti Member of Parliament for Istanbul.