“As to those people who left their homes, first of all, that was their own decision. Our public communications with Garabagh Armenians, and what we did after, demonstrated that we wanted them to stay. We openly announced that and I, during my appeal to Azerbaijani people after the end of the anti-terror operation, said that they could stay".

Axar.az reports that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev expressed this opinion in an interview with "Euronews" television.

“We opened the electronic portal of registration. All of those who want to come back property is duly protected. All the historical and religious sites are duly protected. To come back they need to comply with certain this right. Theiin regulations, and I was saying that many months before the anti-terror operations, those who want to stay need to apply for Azerbaijani citizenship. Because how can people live in Azerbaijan as citizens of another country? Either a citizenship work permit or residence permit. They cannot live in Azerbaijan saying that they live in the so-called “Nagorno-Garabagh Republic”. Because the so-called “Nagorno-Garabagh Republic” doesn`t exist. They invented it in their dreams in their mythology. If they want to live in Azerbaijan as citizens of Azerbaijan, of course, they can,” the head of state pointed out.