RA FOREIGN MINISTER GIVES SPEECH AT UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Noyan Tapan
Sep 29, 2009

NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian, on September 28, gave a speech at the 64th session of
the UN General Assembly touching upon a number of international and
regional problems and Armenia’s approaches on their solution. He also
presented the processes of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations,
Nagorno Karabakh settlement and Armenian side’s approaches.

He mentioned that Azerbaijan constantly misrepresents the essence of
the Nagorno Karabakh problem on the international arena trying to
slur over the ethnic cleansings to the Nagorno Karabakh people and
the policy of violence.

"Armenia is convinced that in order to create a possibility for
progress in the Nagorno Karabakh peaceful settlement process the
sides should commit themselves not to take steps that can hinder the
dialogue or impede the peaceful process," E. Nalbandian said.

The RA Foreign Minister gave assurance that there are serious bases
for Nagorno Karabakh settlement if the principles of the Declaration
signed between Armenian, Azeri and RF Presidents on 2008 November
2 in Moscow, statement made by the MG Co-chairs on 2008 December 4
in Helsinki and statement adopted by all 56 OSCE member states on
2008 December 5 in Helsinki are used. E. Nalbandian reminded that
according to the documents, the sides should assume a commitment to
achieve problem’s peaceful settlement through peaceful negotiations,
on the basis of the Madrid Principles introduced by the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-chairs.

"The basic principles, over which negotiations proceed at present are
based on the principles of international law, which are stipulated
by this organization’s Regulations, Helsinki final act and other
international documents. The international principles of non-use of
force or threat of force, peoples’ self-determination and territorial
integrity are equally applicable. Some for a long time tried to
belittle the importance of the idea of peoples’ self-determination
as a secondary principle in the system of international law, which is
less important than the principle of "territorial integrity." I have
to disappoint those agitating dual standards: self-determination is
an unreserved provision of international law, it regards freedom, any
people’s freedom is determining its future and fate, protecting its
collective rights when those rights and future are endangered. If the
self-determination right was subordinated to territorial integrity,
there would be only 52 member states in UN today instead of today’s
192," the RA Foreign Minister said.

Touching upon the problem of normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations, E. Nalbandian said:

"The normalization process of Armenian-Turkish relations launched by
President Serzh Sargsyan last September and named "football diplomacy"
promises to give results against all difficulties. Last year with the
help of Swiss mediators and other international partners we managed
to record progress in opening the last closed border in Europe and
normalization of relations without preconditions. We want to be hopeful
that, after all, proper political will will give a possibility to get
free of the way of thinking of the past, and wisdom and courage will
prevail for taking the last decisive steps. International community’s
support encouraged us. We realize well what fundamental and positive
influence the opening of borders will have in the respect of region’s
security and stability."

According to a report by the RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information
Department, the same day E. Nalbandian met with U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton.

E. Nalbandian expressed satisfaction with Armenian-American high-level
regular contacts and emphasized that Armenia attaches importance to
further strengthening of relations with the U.S. During the discussion
of the Nagorno Karabakh problem E. Nalbandian attached importance to
the role of the U.S. as an OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing country in
the negotiations process aimed at the problem settlement.

The U.S. Secretary of State, in her turn, mentioned that the United
States is Armenia’s partner in the spheres of democratic reforms and
economic development. Speaking about Armenian-Turkish relations,
H. Clinton appreciated Armenia’s efforts in the direction of
normalizing the relations with Turkey.