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Oskanyan Opposed The Azeri Deputy Foreign Minister

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  • Oskanyan Opposed The Azeri Deputy Foreign Minister

    OSKANYAN OPPOSED THE AZERI DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER

    A1+
    [08:23 pm] 21 June, 2006

    Minister Oskanian attended and addressed the first session of the
    newly-formed UN Human Rights Council.

    The opening ceremony on Monday was attended by UN SG Kofi Annan as
    well as High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour.

    In his statement, on Wednesday, June 21, Armenia's Minister
    congratulated the Council on its inaugural meeting and wished the
    Council well in its mandate to place the third pillar of the UN human
    rights on a par with the other two peace and security, and development.

    The Minister said, "Globalization and the electronic media enhance our
    knowledge and increase our liability. It is as easy to look into our
    neighbor's living room as our own. To hear the screams next door and
    do nothing will be as difficult as ignoring uproar at home. We are now
    the first generation who simply cannot afford to do so. And ironically,
    we are the first generation that is able to afford to systematically,
    fundamentally address the problems and even the crises. We can muster
    the time, skills and resources to construct a new pro-active, daring,
    spirited international system that not only has the moral authority
    but also the tenacity to protect the powerless."

    The Minister addressed the linkage between human rights and
    development. He said, "I know that it is only when the preconditions
    for a full and free life of dignity are in place, only then are markets
    powerful engines of development, only then is critical infrastructure
    sustainable, and only then do individuals stand up to demand and
    protect individual and collective human rights."

    He continued, "In Armenia, we are tackling this greatest challenge
    through a public-private partnership that will engage the government
    of Armenia, Armenia's business community, the international community
    and individual countries, as well as our generous Diaspora, to embark
    on eradicating rural poverty through a comprehensive, integrated
    approach. Our intent is to meet the Millennium Development Goals,
    and to replace hopelessness and desperation with a sense of self-worth
    and security."

    In speaking about Armenia's neighbors and regional security,
    Minister Oskanian noted that "Armenia has and continues to promote
    stronger international mechanisms to prevent and eradicate the crime
    of genocide, and all of its precursors including efforts, too often
    successful, at not just cleansing a region of its indigenous people,
    but also erasing their memory. Armenians have survived and gone on to
    live through each of these attempts. Even today, in the 21st century,
    we have watched helplessly as the spiritual and cultural markers of
    our people are decimated."

    He went on to refer to the destruction of the Jugha Cemetery in
    Nakhichevan, Azerbaijan. "This violation of the memory and spirit of
    centuries of Armenian existence on lands which are today Azerbaijan's
    is cynical and dangerous. These huge, exquisite, unique stone crosses
    which were both sculpture and tombstone are now gone - 2,000 of
    these medieval markers were destroyed just a few months ago. The
    gravemarkers are gone, and Armenian and international fears that
    Azerbaijan's authorities might in fact not be serious about peace
    have been reinforced. After all, their organized, violent, armed
    response to peaceful calls for self-determination two decades ago,
    was the first attempt at ethnic cleansing in the soviet space and
    ignited the conflict which remains unsettled today.

    This most recent manifestation of organized violence, in a place where
    no Armenians live today, and far from the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
    area, tells us that neither Azerbaijan's methods nor its intent has
    changed. Such unambivalent, callous demolition of culture and history
    also destroys trust and peace."

    In speaking about the present state of negotiations with Azerbaijan
    on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Armenian
    Foreign Minister said, "If Azerbaijan's one step forward, one step
    back approach in the negotiations was simply alarming, their recent,
    desperate offers of autonomy are concrete examples of a retreat
    from the letter and spirit of these talks, and clearly not in sync
    with international trends. Offering autonomy to a people who have
    for nearly two decades been in control of their lives on their own
    historic lands is at the very least, self-deception."
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