POLITICAL PARTIES OF AZERBAIJAN CALL ON OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN TO PUT AN END TO DOUBLE STANDARDS

TREND News Agency
March 19 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 19 March /corr. TrendNews I.Alizade / The political
parties of Azerbaijan call on the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen to
put an end to double standards, serve peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and not to any take reckless steps.

"Political parties of Azerbaijan sharply condemn the OSCE Minsk Group’s
position on the Resolution on ‘Situation in Occupied Territories of
Azerbaijan’- which was adopted by the UN General Assembly," stated by
the declaration adopted by the political parties during the conference
organized by the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) on 19 March.

On 14 March, the UN General Assembly supported the Resolution on
‘Situation in Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan’, which was
presented by the Azerbaijani side. The representatives of each
three co-chairman-countries ( USA, Russia and France) of the OSCE
Minsk Grou- which was established for the peaceful settlement of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, voted against the
Resolution, i.e. against territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

The declaration by the ruling party says that Azeri people were
hoping that the negotiations within the Minsk Group will yield
positive results and the Armenian side will release occupied
Azerbaijani territories. "Despite that certain documents regarding
fair settlement of the conflict were adopted at higher meetings of
the OSCE, no agreement has been reached as a result of unconstructive
policy of Armenia," the declaration says.

The declaration says that according to the mandate of OSCE Minsk Group,
the key obligations of the mediators include achieving a peaceful
settlement of the conflict on the basis of norms and principles of
the international law. "Unfortunately, in several cases, the Minsk
Group Co-Chairmen do not demonstrate succession in this regard. The
statement of Co-Chairmen distorting the essence of conflict adversely
affected the process of peaceful negotiations, nonetheless encouraged
occupant country," the declaration says.

The declaration says that the Co-Chairman countries’ vote against
the document, submitted by the Azerbaijani side to the UN General
Assembly, brought to serious dissatisfaction in Azerbaijan. Thus,
the Co-chairman subjected their objective activities to serious
doubts and demonstrated solidarity with occupant Armenia, who openly
breaks the rights of peaceful neighborhood existence and principles
of territorial integrity.