UN RESOLUTION ON PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION MEETS AZERBAIJAN’S INTERESTS

Trend
Dec 21 2009
Azerbaijan

Official Baku considers that the UN General Assembly’s resolution on
the People’s Universal Right to Self Determination meets the interests
of Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan has participated in preparing the resolution on the
People’s Universal Right to Self Determination, but the resolution
does not reflect anything about self-determination at the expense
of the territories of independent states, but vice-versa the paper
openly states that the military intervention, aggression and acts
of occupation and violation of human rights as a result of this,
including the violation of the right to self-determination, are
completely contrary," Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elkhan
Polukhov told Trend News on Dec. 21.

During its 64th session on Dec. 18, the UN General Assembly without
voting adopted the resolution on the People’s Universal Right to
Self Determination.

In addition, Polukhov said the resolution expresses concerns over the
facts where the states maintain the territories of other countries
under occupation through military aggression and due to it, have
resorted to occupation, discrimination and other acts violating
human dignity.

According to him, the paper also expressed concern over one million
refugees and internally displaced persons. Given all these, the
resolution can be assessed as meeting the interests of Azerbaijan,
said Polukhov.

"We recognize the right to self-determination, but it can be realized
only within the territorial integrity of states," said Foreign
Ministry spokesman.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. General Assembly’s resolutions
on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied
territories.