The 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), held in Istanbul, concluded with the adoption of several important resolutions, including - for the first time - a resolution concerning the Western Azerbaijan Community.
As the final document of the session, the “Istanbul Declaration” was adopted, alongside five resolutions initiated by Azerbaijan.
A key outcome of the session was the adoption of the resolution titled “The Right to Return of Azerbaijanis Forcibly and Systematically Expelled from Present-Day Armenian Territory.” This marks the first time that such a resolution has been approved within the OIC framework. The document expresses the support of OIC member states for the Western Azerbaijan Community’s legitimate right of return and condemns Armenia’s continued denial of the community’s fundamental rights.
In addition to this, the Istanbul Declaration welcomes progress in the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and urges the Armenian side to eliminate political and legal barriers to signing a peace treaty.
The Declaration also voices support for Azerbaijan’s reconstruction and demining efforts aimed at enabling the dignified return of internally displaced persons who were forced to flee their homes due to Armenia’s aggression.
The document reaffirms the right of Azerbaijanis expelled from present-day Armenian territory to return and condemns Armenia’s refusal to engage in dialogue with the Western Azerbaijan Community.
The resolution titled “Solidarity with the Victims of the 1992 Khojaly Massacre” strongly condemns the war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of genocide committed by Armenian armed forces in Khojaly and other formerly occupied Azerbaijani territories. It calls on OIC member states to take necessary measures toward the recognition of these crimes.
The resolution titled “Elimination of the Consequences of the Aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan” once again strongly condemns Armenia’s aggression and supports Azerbaijan’s reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in the post-conflict period.
The resolution on “Economic Assistance to the Republic of Azerbaijan” urges OIC member states and Islamic financial institutions to provide support for Azerbaijan’s reconstruction and demining efforts.
The resolution titled “Destruction and Insult of Islamic Historical and Cultural Monuments and Heritage in the Territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a Result of the Aggression by the Republic of Armenia” strongly condemns acts of vandalism committed by Armenia against Islamic cultural heritage in the formerly occupied territories. It also supports Azerbaijan’s call for reparations for these violations.
