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Trend, Azerbaijan
Sept 11 2009
Armenia votes against UN resolution on Georgia due to relations with
Russian and Azerbaijan: expert
Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 11 /Trend News, E.Tariveridyeva/
Armenia has voted against this resolution, likely because of the
relations with Russia and even Azerbaijan, and a much smaller because
of the tension in the Armenian-Georgian relations, believes Richard
Giragosian, Director, of the Armenian Center for National and
International Studies (ACNIS).
"The reason for Armenia's decision to not support the resolution was
the diplomatic precedent it could set for the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict," Giragosian wrote to Trend News in an email.
On Sept. 10, the UN General Assembly adopted by majority the
resolution, proposed by Georgia on the situation of refugees from
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The draft document was presented by the
Georgian delegation to the 63rd session of the Assembly under the
agenda item "Protracted conflicts in the GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine,
Azerbaijan and Moldova) and their consequences for international
peace, security and development."
The resolution states that the parties must "develop a schedule that
would ensure the voluntary, safe, decent and unimpeded return of all
internally displaced persons and refugees, affected by the conflict in
Georgia, to their homes."
Armenia was among the 19 countries that voted against the resolution
which angered Georgia.
Giragosian said there are two reasons for Armenia's refusing to
support the resolution, recently passed by the UN General Assembly,
recognizing the right of return of all displaced persons and refugees
to their homes in Abkhazia and South Ossetia based on "the urgent need
for unimpeded access for humanitarian activities"
First, despite Russian pressure on Armenia to recognize Abkhazia and
South Ossetia, Armenia has wisely resisted and refused to extend such
recognition, the expert said.
But this time, for this vote, Moscow seems to have exerted new
pressure on Yerevan to not support the resolution, Giragosian
believes.
The vote on the resolution, entitled "Status of Internally Displaced
Persons and Refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali
Region/South Ossetia, Georgia," was passed with 48 countries voting in
favor and 19 against.
A total of 78 countries abstained in the vote, which revealed the
delicate diplomacy by both Russia and Georgia behind the scenes.
Giragosian believes In fact, for both Moscow and Tbilisi, this
resolution was a new battle in the diplomatic war between the two
countries. "Armenia did not want to be a part to and, therefore, went
ahead and voted against the measure," he said.
The second reason for Armenia's decision to not support the resolution
was the diplomatic precedent it could set for the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, the expert said.
"Especially given the language of the resolution concerning the UN
mandate "to contribute to supporting creation of necessary conditions
on the ground for safe return of internally displaced persons," which
Armenia may have feared could be used by Azerbaijan regarding the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Giragosian said.
The resolution also contained an important clause stating that the
"responsibility for the actual creation and maintenance of the
requisite conditions (security, economic, integration etc.) for
sustainable returns rests with the parties themselves", he said.
"This context is in line with Armenian diplomacy, however, and like
the Karabakh issue, affirms that he real test is on the parties to the
conflict, including Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh first and
foremost," Giragosian said.
Sept 11 2009
Armenia votes against UN resolution on Georgia due to relations with
Russian and Azerbaijan: expert
Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 11 /Trend News, E.Tariveridyeva/
Armenia has voted against this resolution, likely because of the
relations with Russia and even Azerbaijan, and a much smaller because
of the tension in the Armenian-Georgian relations, believes Richard
Giragosian, Director, of the Armenian Center for National and
International Studies (ACNIS).
"The reason for Armenia's decision to not support the resolution was
the diplomatic precedent it could set for the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict," Giragosian wrote to Trend News in an email.
On Sept. 10, the UN General Assembly adopted by majority the
resolution, proposed by Georgia on the situation of refugees from
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The draft document was presented by the
Georgian delegation to the 63rd session of the Assembly under the
agenda item "Protracted conflicts in the GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine,
Azerbaijan and Moldova) and their consequences for international
peace, security and development."
The resolution states that the parties must "develop a schedule that
would ensure the voluntary, safe, decent and unimpeded return of all
internally displaced persons and refugees, affected by the conflict in
Georgia, to their homes."
Armenia was among the 19 countries that voted against the resolution
which angered Georgia.
Giragosian said there are two reasons for Armenia's refusing to
support the resolution, recently passed by the UN General Assembly,
recognizing the right of return of all displaced persons and refugees
to their homes in Abkhazia and South Ossetia based on "the urgent need
for unimpeded access for humanitarian activities"
First, despite Russian pressure on Armenia to recognize Abkhazia and
South Ossetia, Armenia has wisely resisted and refused to extend such
recognition, the expert said.
But this time, for this vote, Moscow seems to have exerted new
pressure on Yerevan to not support the resolution, Giragosian
believes.
The vote on the resolution, entitled "Status of Internally Displaced
Persons and Refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali
Region/South Ossetia, Georgia," was passed with 48 countries voting in
favor and 19 against.
A total of 78 countries abstained in the vote, which revealed the
delicate diplomacy by both Russia and Georgia behind the scenes.
Giragosian believes In fact, for both Moscow and Tbilisi, this
resolution was a new battle in the diplomatic war between the two
countries. "Armenia did not want to be a part to and, therefore, went
ahead and voted against the measure," he said.
The second reason for Armenia's decision to not support the resolution
was the diplomatic precedent it could set for the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, the expert said.
"Especially given the language of the resolution concerning the UN
mandate "to contribute to supporting creation of necessary conditions
on the ground for safe return of internally displaced persons," which
Armenia may have feared could be used by Azerbaijan regarding the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Giragosian said.
The resolution also contained an important clause stating that the
"responsibility for the actual creation and maintenance of the
requisite conditions (security, economic, integration etc.) for
sustainable returns rests with the parties themselves", he said.
"This context is in line with Armenian diplomacy, however, and like
the Karabakh issue, affirms that he real test is on the parties to the
conflict, including Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh first and
foremost," Giragosian said.