Written declaration No. 419 | Doc. 11815 | 28 January 2009

The forced mass deportation of Azerbaijanis from Armenia (1948-1953 and 1988)

Signatories: Ms Ganira PASHAYEVA, Azerbaijan, EDG ; Mr Lokman AYVA, Turkey, EPP/CD ; Mr Mevlüt ÇAVUŞOĞLU, Turkey, EDG ; Ms Ingrida CIRCENE, Latvia, EPP/CD ; Mr Andres HERKEL, Estonia, EPP/CD ; Ms Fatme ILYAZ, Bulgaria ; Mr Kastriot ISLAMI, Albania, SOC ; Ms Birgen KELEŞ, Turkey, SOC ; Mr Hakki KESKIN, Germany ; Mr Haluk KOÇ, Turkey, SOC ; Mr Ertuğrul KUMCUOĞLU, Turkey, EDG ; Mr Younal LOUTFI, Bulgaria ; Ms Nursuna MEMECAN, Turkey, ALDE ; Baroness Detta O'CATHAIN, United Kingdom ; Ms Lajla PERNASKA, Albania, EPP/CD ; Mr Samad SEYIDOV, Azerbaijan, EDG ; Mr Mehmet TEKELİOĞLU, Turkey, EPP/CD ; Mr Tuğrul TÜRKEŞ, Turkey, EDG ; Mr Mustafa ÜNAL, Turkey, EPP/CD ; Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

The undersigned, considering:

• the 60th anniversary of the forced mass deportation of Azerbaijanis by Stalin from the Armenian SSR, lands historically inhabited by ethnic Azerbaijanis, to the Azerbaijan SSR;
• the denial by Armenia the right of 150 000 Azerbaijanis deported 60 years ago from Armenia to return to their homeland and thus continuing to violate their fundamental human rights during 60 years;
• that, with the exception of Azerbaijanis, the rights of all nationals deported from their homeland during Stalin’s rule to return to their homeland, have been recognised by the countries they were deported from;
• the 20th anniversary of the forced mass deportation of 300 000 Azerbaijanis from Armenia, lands historically inhabited by ethnic Azerbaijanis, due to the ethnic cleansing policy led by official Yerevan,

condemn the above-mentioned crimes perpetrated on the ethnic grounds against Azerbaijanis and call on the Council of Europe and its member states to apply the proper pressure mechanisms to Armenia, in order to force this state to recognise and ensure the fundamental rights of Azerbaijanis deported from their historical homeland in 1948-1953 and 1988 to return to their homeland in Armenia.