Azerbaijanis who used to live in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and may wish to regain control of their properties can return to Artsakh, if they recognize its jurisdiction, Karabakh president Bako Sahakyan said in an interview with The Armenian Mirror-Spectator.

The situation of refugees in the region is often raised in international circles.

Sahakyan said, “At present, it is Azerbaijani refugees that are chiefly talked about. We naturally are in favor of talking not only about Azerbaijani refugees but also about Armenian refugees.”

The Karabakh president declared, concerning Azerbaijanis who used to live in Artsakh and who may wish to regain control of their properties: “We have said on multiple occasions over the course of recent years that Azerbaijani refugees naturally can return to Artsakh, to the Artsakh Republic, if they recognize its jurisdiction.”

Sahakyan of the Republic of Artsakh visited the American capital for his first official visit on March 12 at the head of a governmental delegation for a week of political talks and meetings.

In the interview, Sahakyan appreciated the ongoing diplomatic efforts of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)’s Minsk Group, of which the United States is a leading member.

He also said that for the peace process to be successful, Artsakh must be one of the full parties or “sides” in negotiations along with Armenia and Azerbaijan, as was initially agreed upon at the 1994 Budapest OSCE summit, and that Artsakh continues to do whatever is in its power to restore that format.