GRIGOR AYVAZYAN: REFERENDUM ON KARABAKH IN AZERBAIJAN CANNOT BE LEGAL
Gita Elibekyan
"Radiolur"
04.12.2008 16:26
More than 418 thousand Armenians have emigrated from Azerbaijan to
Armenia since 1988. Today the number of refugees in Armenia reaches
300 thousand in Armenia and 35 thousand in Nagorno Karabakh. President
of the "Assembly of Azerbaijani Armenians" Grigor Ayvazyan says that
they spread all over the world because of the genocide organized
by Azerbaijan.
Besides, according to Azerbaijani Constitution, the person born in
Azerbaijan is considered the citizen of the country. Therefore, as
Grigor Ayvazyan notes, if a referendum on Nagorno Karabakh is held
in Azerbaijan, it cannot be considered legal.
Azerbaijani Armenians view Ilham Aliyev as the head of the Muslim
community of Azerbaijan and note that he does not have the right
to speak on behalf of the whole people of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani
Armenians demand to include a provision in the negotiation process,
according to which Azerbaijan will have to receive back its half a
million Armenian citizens and guarantee their security.
If Azerbaijan is not ready to do that, it should ensure a moral
and material reimbursement, which, according to Ayvazyan, makes
$100 million.
Are Azerbaijani Armenians ready to return to their previous places
of residence? Ayvazyan assures that most of them have expressed
willingness to return to their main places of re sidence.