AZERBAIJANI AMBASSADOR TO UN CRITICIZED ARMENIA HARD IN THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL
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April 22 2009
Azerbaijan
Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to UN Ambassador Agshin
Mehdiyev condemned Armenia in attempts to get legal sovereignty over
the Nagorny Karabakh and the nearby occupied regions during the UN
Security Council debate, APA US bureau reports.
Ambassador Mehdiyev delivered speech at the open debate in the
Security Council on "Maintenance of international peace and security:
mediation and settlement of disputes", on April 21, 2009. "Despite
the relevant binding rulings set forth in the United Nations Charter,
we are still facing with inconsistent behavior that undermines the
basic elements of international legal order, threatens the integrity
and stability of States, and leads to grave violations of human rights
and international humanitarian law", said the ambassador.
The Armenian policy has resulted in the occupation of almost one-fifth
of the territory of Azerbaijan and made approximately one out of
every eight persons in the country an internally displaced or refugee,
said Ambassador Mehdiyev in his statement. "The actions of Armenia,
up to and including the resort to force, constitute a violation of the
fundamental norm of respect for the territorial integrity of States, as
well as a violation of other relevant international legal principles,
such as rule prohibiting the use of force", said the ambassador. "As
far as the model and legal framework of a self-rule status for the
Nagorny Karabakh region within Azerbaijan is concerned, we believe
that the process of its definition shall take place in normal peaceful
conditions. Attempts to define such status in a situation of continued
occupation of the Nagorny Karabakh region and surrounding territories
of Azerbaijan and forced displacement of Azerbaijani population
contradict international law, as well as the principles and ideas
of peace, democracy, stability and regional cooperation. In order to
ensure the success of the settlement process and mediation efforts,
a number of important steps have to be taken to reach a stage when
the negotiations on a self-rule status for the Nagorny Karabakh
region within Azerbaijan can start. First and foremost, the factor
of military occupation must be removed from the conflict settlement
context and Armenia must completely withdraw from the all occupied
territories of Azerbaijan. Delay of return of the territories can
complicate the already difficult settlement process. Following the
liberation of the occupied territories, internally displaced persons
should return in safety and dignity to their places of origin in the
Nagorny Karabakh region and adjacent districts. Upon release of the
territories of Azerbaijan from the occupation, the rehabilitation
and economic development of the region shall take place and all
communications there shall be made available for mutual use", the
Azerbaijani ambassador said.
"Although the mediation efforts conducted for already quite a long
period of time within the framework of the OSCE have not always
been consistent and have yet to yield results, Azerbaijan continues
to be committed to solving the conflict by political means and in a
constructive manner. The conflict can only be solved on the basis of
respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability
of the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan. The
aforementioned understanding, reflected also in resolution 62/243 of
the General Assembly, is an expression of constructive compromise that
Azerbaijan is ready to make within the framework of international
law and with the view of achieving lasting peace, stability and
cooperation", the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to UN said.