Deputies of the Milli Majlis and representatives of NGOs of Azerbaijan sent a response letter to the US Congress

Deputies of the Milli Majlis, leaders and representatives of a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of Azerbaijan have addressed a letter to senators and members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Below is the text of the appeal:

"Dear Senators and Members of the House of Representatives!

We, members of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan and representatives of NGOs, are addressing you in response to your letter of October 5, 2026, concerning Azerbaijan. We attach great importance to dialogue with the U.S. Congress and share the goal of ensuring a sustainable peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. At the same time, we believe that a number of provisions in your letter fail to take into account important historical and legal context and may complicate the progress achieved through U.S. diplomatic efforts.

For over 30 years, Azerbaijan faced the consequences of the conflict and the occupation of approximately 20% of its internationally recognized territories. More than 20 thousand Azerbaijanis were killed, and over one million people were forced to leave their homes in Armenia and in the formerly occupied territories of Azerbaijan. The fate of 4,010 missing Azerbaijanis remains unknown to this day. The Khojaly massacre, which claimed the lives of 613 civilians, as well as the destruction of cities and villages, religious sites and cultural heritage monuments, became among the most tragic pages of our national history. These facts must be taken into account in any assessment of the conflict.

Mines and unexploded ordnance continue to threaten lives, hinder reconstruction efforts and the safe return of displaced families. Azerbaijan estimates that approximately 1.5 million mines have been planted across roughly 13% of the country's territory. Since 2020, more than 440 Azerbaijani citizens have been affected by explosions of mines and other ordnance. In this regard, we call on Congress to pay sustained attention to humanitarian demining activities, as well as to establishing the fate of missing persons, including obtaining information about possible burial sites and individuals whose fate remains unknown.

Despite existing challenges, President Ilham Aliyev has pursued a strategic course aimed at achieving peace, normalizing relations and regional economic integration. Azerbaijan took the initiative to prepare a peace agreement and presented its draft to the Armenian side. We acknowledge and highly appreciate the important role of President Donald Trump in advancing this process.

The peace summit held on August 8, 2025, in Washington became an important milestone in the diplomatic process. The joint declaration and the initialing of the "Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia" in the presence of President Trump opened new opportunities for practical