UN News Centre
March 14 2008

General Assembly calls for removal of Armenian forces from
Nagorno-Karabakh

14 March 2008 – The General Assembly today adopted a resolution on
the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in which it called for the
immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces
`from all the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan.’

With 39 votes in favour, seven against and 100 abstentions, the
Assembly adopted a text that also called for `continued respect and
support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic
of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders.’

The resolution reaffirmed `the inalienable right of the population
expelled from the occupied territories’ of Azerbaijan to return to
their homes, and to achieve that end it underlined the need for the
comprehensive rehabilitation of all conflict-affected territories.

No State should recognize as lawful the current situation in
Nagorno-Karabakh, nor provide aid or assistance to maintain that
situation, according to the text, which also called for `normal,
secure and equal conditions of life for Armenian and Azerbaijani
communities in the Nagorno-Karabakh region’ so that `an effective
democratic system of self-governance’ can be built up.

In addition, the resolution voices support for international
mediation efforts to the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh, particularly
the work of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) Minsk Group Co-Chairmen.
From: Baghdasarian