RA MFA: AZERBAIJAN OSTENTATIOUSLY LAUGHED AT OSCE MINSK GROUP POSITION
DeFacto Agency
March 17 2008
Armenia
YEREVAN, 17.03.08. DE FACTO. March 14 the U. N. General Assembly
voted for the resolution presented by Azerbaijan. The document is
targeted at ensuring international support to the Karabakh issue’s
Azerbaijani interpretation, the RA MFA Press Office reports.
The RA MFA commentary runs, in part, "the OSCE co-chairing countries
– the U. S., France and Russia, as well as Armenia and some other
countries voted against this draft resolution. About 150 countries
refrained and only 39 countries supported the resolution. These
countries are either the members of the GUAM or the Organization of
the Islamic Conference.
Despite the fact that the resolution, which is not obligatory,
was adopted by the General Assembly, nevertheless, the rejection of
Azerbaijan’s position on the Karabakh issue is the real indication
of the international community’s sentiments.
Estimating the results of the voting, the RA FM Vardan Oskanian said,
"I hope that Azerbaijan has received a clear estimation of the
international community. Under the guidance of the Co-Chairs the
majority of the U. N. member countries rejected a unilateral approach".
According to the Minister Oskanian, the resolution is hypocritical:
"On the one hand, it tries to misinform, as it contains a provision
supporting the process within the frames of the OSCE Minsk group. On
the other hand, Azerbaijan ostentatiously laughed at the position of
the OSCE MG. The Co-Chairs stated precisely they would not support
the draft resolution and actually voted against it".
Early current week in the course of the press conference the Minister
Oskanian stated that the RA newly elected President Serzh Sargsian was
ready to meet with Azerbaijan’s President at his early convenience,
naturally, if the Co-Chairs made such a proposal and Azerbaijan granted
its consent. "Such an opportunity exists", the Minister Oskanian said.
"Rejecting the resolution presented by Azerbaijan the international
community reaffirmed its approval of the document on the negotiating
table, which successfully connects two principles of the Helsinki
final act, which seem mutually excluding at the first sight – the
nations’ right to self-determination and the principle of territorial
integrity", the RA FM explained. "This document gives Armenians and
Azerbaijanis a unique opportunity to move forward. That it the very
thing, which distinguishes the Karabakh issue from all over conflicts
in our region and Europe and makes it unique not only from the legal
and historical viewpoints, but also during the talks targeted at
finding a realistic decision".
To note, March 14 the participants of the 62nd session of the
U. N. General Assembly adopted the resolution "The Position on the
Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan". 39 voted for the adoption of
the resolution, 7 against and 100 refrained from voting.