States News Service
March 14, 2008 Friday

EXPLANATION OF VOTE BY AMBASSADOR ALEJANDRO D. WOLFF, U.S. DEPUTY
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE, ON DRAFT RESOLUTION: SITUATION IN OCCUPIED
TERRITORIES OF AZERBAIJAN, TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY

New York

The following information was released by the U.S. Mission to the
United Nations:

The political-level representatives of France, the Russian
Federation, and the United States, as Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group dealing with the Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) conflict– jointly
proposed a set of basic principles for the peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh (NK) conflict to the sides in November 2007 on the
margins of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Madrid. These basic
principles are founded on the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act,
including those related to refraining from the threat or use of
force, the territorial integrity of states, and the equal rights and
self-determination of peoples. The proposal transmitted to the sides
in Madrid comprises a balanced package of principles that are
currently under negotiation. The sides have agreed that no single
element is agreed until all elements are agreed by the parties.

Unfortunately, this draft resolution selectively propagates only
certain of these principles to the exclusion of others, without
considering the Co-Chairsa proposal in its balanced entirety.

Because of this selective approach, the three OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chair countries must oppose this unilateral draft resolution. They
reiterate that a peaceful, equitable, and lasting settlement of the
NK conflict will require unavoidable compromises among the parties
that reflect the principles of territorial integrity, non-use of
force, and equal rights of peoples, as well as other principles of
international law.

While the three Minsk Group Co-Chair countries will vote against this
unilateral draft resolution, which threatens to undermine the peace
process, they reaffirm their support for the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan, and thus do not recognize the independence of NK.

At a time when serious clashes have occurred along the Line of
Contact with loss of life, both sides must refrain from unilateral
and maximalist actions either at the negotiating table or in the
field.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress