NOVRUZ MAMMADOV: "OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR COUNTRIES SHOULD CLARIFY THEIR POSITIONS"
Azeri Press Agency
March 17 2008
Azerbaijan
Baku. Lachin Sultanova – APA. "Even putting the resolution on
Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan to the vote in the UN General
Assembly is important issue for Azerbaijan" said Novruz Mammadov,
head of foreign relations department of the President’s Office in an
exclusive interview with APA.
He called the resolution as an important document."UN General
Assembly reaffirmed and supported the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan, recognized the fact of occupation of Azerbaijan’s
territories and demanded Armenia to withdraw its armed forces from
the Azerbaijani lands immediately. This resolution has an important
political and legal significance. It passed a decision based on the
previous resolutions of the UN Security Council and decisions of
other international organizations and especially underlined that
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan should be restored within the
norms and principles of international law. Meanwhile, the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chair countries should clarify their positions. They have
to make it clear why leaders of those countries periodically state
that they recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, but when
this issue comes to agenda their representatives to UN take different
positions. Voting on the resolution gives a chance to Azerbaijan to
make differences between friends and foes. I think there is no need
to hurry. It is principal that Azerbaijan took successful diplomatic
step and achieved the adoption of necessary resolution". N. Mammadov
said 39 countries voted in favor of the resolution: "Support of 39
countries for this resolution confirmed Armenian isolation in this
issue, Angola and Vanuatu supported Armenia. US, France and Russia
should have their own reasons, but their contrary position toward
the resolution is regrettable. They forced us to think about whether
representatives of these countries are really trying for fair solution
of the conflict or not?"