ARMENIA GOES ON WITH EFFORTS TO KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION: NALBANDYAN

news.am
Dec 2 2009
Armenia

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan delivered speech at the
17th meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council.

NEWS.am posts the full text.

"Mr. Chairman,

Dear Colleagues,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I also would like to thank the Greek Chairmanship-in-Office for
steering us throughout the year and for the hospitality we have
enjoyed both in Corfu and here in Athens.

Mr. Chairman,

The Corfu process has given us an important format to raise and
discuss in an open manner the most pressing issues that the OSCE
currently faces. These discussions should not be an end in themselves,
but rather a possibility to reflect our thoughts and the vision, in
the informal setting in order to revitalize dialogue on key issues
of our common agenda.

Being an organization that pursues the goal of consolidation of peace
and stability, the OSCE has to revisit its toolkits and assess their
effectiveness in responding to emerging challenges. To be effective,
this process has to be based on equal participation and equal treatment
of all participating states. It is important that we focus our efforts,
first and foremost on the strengthening of the effectiveness of the
OSCE and its institutions and take steps to balance our activities
in all three dimensions.

The changing nature of international security environment has made
us equally vulnerable in the face of traditional and new threats.

Combating the transnational challenges require collective efforts
and adequate response.

The developments in the OSCE area have emphasized the obvious need
of adapting the European security architecture to the new realities,
which will take into consideration all existing concerns. We restate
our position regarding the idea of a new European Security Treaty,
which would reaffirm the equality of the fundamental principles of
international law, and would lead to the strengthening of commonly
acceptable comprehensive and indivisible security.

The passing year marked serious round of discussions on the future of
arms control arrangements in the OSCE area. We value in particular
the efforts to strengthen arms control measures, including through
the initiative on the Vienna document 1999.

In this context, the pattern of non-compliance of one State,
Azerbaijan, to the core arms control regime, particularly by
substantially exceeding maximum levels of holdings in at least two
categories of armaments set by the Treaty on Conventional Armed
Forces in Europe, combined with the war rhetoric, raises concerns
about that country’s real intentions. Azerbaijan violates one of the
basic principles of the OSCE – the principle of non-use or threat of
use of force.

Mr. Chairman,

Next year the international community is celebrating the 65th
anniversary of the end of the Second World War. After that huge
disaster and tragedy, the leaders of Europe, guided by the vision of
a united and prosperous future for the next generations, had laid the
foundation of cooperation and stability on the continent by creating
conditions for all the peoples to live in dignity and security.

Guided by the same vision, the Armenian President has put forward
an initiative aimed at normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations,
of which I informed this distinguished Council last year. Today,
I am pleased to state that we have made a significant step forward
with the Turkish side, by signing the Protocols on the establishment
of diplomatic relations and on the development of bilateral relations,
on 10 October in Zurich. The next important step that the parties have
committed to make is the ratification of the Protocols. We hope that
this important step will be made and Armenia and Turkey will start
implementation of the agreements reached. Unreasonable delays and
preconditions in this process, including attempts to link this and
Nagorno-Karabakh processes may harm the both.

We are grateful to the international community, including Switzerland,
the USA, the Russian Federation, France and other EU members for
the assistance in this process. However, despite strong support of
all countries in the world, there is a member among us, Azerbaijan,
that opposes the very idea of normalization between the two OSCE
participating states and, therefore, runs counter to the values upon
which this Organization is based.

In accordance with the same values, Armenia continues its active
involvement in the efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

During this year the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan have had six
meetings within the OSCE Minsk Group process, which remains the solid
framework for negotiations. Although the negotiating parties have
made some progress in the discussion of the Madrid document, there
are still issues that need to be addressed. Armenia is committed to a
peaceful solution of the conflict, based on the norms and principles
of international law, particularly the principles of non use or
threat of use of force, self-determination and territorial integrity,
which were reflected yesterday in the Joint Statement by the Heads of
Delegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, Armenia and
Azerbaijan. We are convinced that in order to create an opportunity
for the progress in the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, the parties should commit to refrain from the steps that
could hamper the peace process, including the attempts, which have been
made here in the speech of the Azerbaijani minister, to misinterpret
the essence of the conflict and of the ongoing negotiations.

Mr. Chairman,

In this rapidly changing international environment it is important
that we, as individual member states and Organization as a whole,
continue to respect our commitments and to strictly adhere to the laws
and principles governing our collective behavior. Failure to do so may
undermine our efforts to strengthen this Organization and therefore,
to increase the capabilities of each and every participating state
to contribute to a safer and better future in the OSCE area and
throughout the world.

In conclusion, I would like to wish every success to the incoming
Kazakh Chairmanship of the OSCE and to assure my distinguished
Kazakh colleague that he can count on Armenia’s assistance in the
implementation of the Chairmanship’s agenda and smooth organization
of the proposed summit.

Thank you."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress