Trend News Agency, Baku, Azerbaijan
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
June 23, 2011 Thursday
UN member-states support Azerbaijan's position on right to self-determination
by S. Agayeva, Trend News Agency, Baku, Azerbaijan
June 23--JUNE 23 / , Azerbaijan, Baku -- UN member-states supported
Azerbaijan's position on the right to self-determination and the
inadmissibility of its interpretations to justify territorial claims
and unlawful use of force against sovereign countries.
The resolution on "Strengthening the role of mediation in peaceful
settlement of disputes, conflict prevention, and settlement" was
unanimously adopted at a plenary session of the 65th session of UN
General Assembly, the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the UN said.
Presenting the relevant project was initiated at the beginning of the
year by the "Friends of mediation group." It included various UN
member-states. Azerbaijan took an active part in the negotiation
process as a co-author of the resolution.
Armenia's permanent representative to the UN said during the plenary
session of the General Assembly that it denies the proposed resolution
plan. Armenian diplomats failed in their attempts to exclude the
presented principle on national territorial integrity in the
resolution, which have been long in the making. When the action
failed, they asked that the right of peoples to self-determination be
renegotiated.
The resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly has reaffirmed its
commitment to respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and
political independence of all countries. It was stressed that national
sovereignty and obligations of countries must be respected and
observed under international law in order to ensure responsible and
credible mediation.
UN member-states have rejected the Armenian delegation's arguments
regarding the right of peoples to self-determination. They reaffirmed
its application to people under colonial domination or foreign
occupation. Azerbaijan found support on its viewpoint on the scope and
subject of the right to self-determination, and the inadmissibility of
interpretations to justify territorial claims and unlawful use of
force against sovereign countries.
It was recognized by other countries that Azerbaijani territory is
occupied and that Armenia is a key player in the current situation.
Consequently, the General Assembly's resolution on strengthening
mediation has once again confirmed that the right to
self-determination of the Azerbaijani people was violated.
"Attention is drawn to the fact that the General Assembly explicitly
referred to all its previous resolutions on the issues relating to the
peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention, and settlement,
including mediation", the report said.
This provision clearly envisages resolution No 62/243, title "The
situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan", adopted at the
62nd session of the UN General Assembly. In the resolution, the
Assembly expressed the respect and support for the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally
recognized borders. It called for the immediate, complete, and
unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces from all Azerbaijani
territories which it occupies and expressed its support for
international mediation efforts, the representative office said.
The Armenian delegation's apparent failure to mention basic principles
of international law in the resolution on strengthening the role of
mediation may explain the seeming nervous behavior and unabashed
remarks at the plenary session of the General Assembly, the report
said.
Attempts to interrupt the presentation being made by the Permanent
Representative of Azerbaijan to the UN supporting the resolution
caused the indignation of many delegations. They expressed their
outrage at Armenia's anti-democratic behavior.
Of course, the result was the adoption of important resolutions amid
active support of Azerbaijan and Armenia's complete isolation in its
position at the UN General Assembly.
Yerevan's official isolation on vital issues is particularly
noteworthy in view of strengthening the mediation efforts and the
upcoming next round of talks to resolve the conflict between Armenia
and Azerbaijan.
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's claimed
territories since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and
seven 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 peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding
regions.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
June 23, 2011 Thursday
UN member-states support Azerbaijan's position on right to self-determination
by S. Agayeva, Trend News Agency, Baku, Azerbaijan
June 23--JUNE 23 / , Azerbaijan, Baku -- UN member-states supported
Azerbaijan's position on the right to self-determination and the
inadmissibility of its interpretations to justify territorial claims
and unlawful use of force against sovereign countries.
The resolution on "Strengthening the role of mediation in peaceful
settlement of disputes, conflict prevention, and settlement" was
unanimously adopted at a plenary session of the 65th session of UN
General Assembly, the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the UN said.
Presenting the relevant project was initiated at the beginning of the
year by the "Friends of mediation group." It included various UN
member-states. Azerbaijan took an active part in the negotiation
process as a co-author of the resolution.
Armenia's permanent representative to the UN said during the plenary
session of the General Assembly that it denies the proposed resolution
plan. Armenian diplomats failed in their attempts to exclude the
presented principle on national territorial integrity in the
resolution, which have been long in the making. When the action
failed, they asked that the right of peoples to self-determination be
renegotiated.
The resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly has reaffirmed its
commitment to respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and
political independence of all countries. It was stressed that national
sovereignty and obligations of countries must be respected and
observed under international law in order to ensure responsible and
credible mediation.
UN member-states have rejected the Armenian delegation's arguments
regarding the right of peoples to self-determination. They reaffirmed
its application to people under colonial domination or foreign
occupation. Azerbaijan found support on its viewpoint on the scope and
subject of the right to self-determination, and the inadmissibility of
interpretations to justify territorial claims and unlawful use of
force against sovereign countries.
It was recognized by other countries that Azerbaijani territory is
occupied and that Armenia is a key player in the current situation.
Consequently, the General Assembly's resolution on strengthening
mediation has once again confirmed that the right to
self-determination of the Azerbaijani people was violated.
"Attention is drawn to the fact that the General Assembly explicitly
referred to all its previous resolutions on the issues relating to the
peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention, and settlement,
including mediation", the report said.
This provision clearly envisages resolution No 62/243, title "The
situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan", adopted at the
62nd session of the UN General Assembly. In the resolution, the
Assembly expressed the respect and support for the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally
recognized borders. It called for the immediate, complete, and
unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces from all Azerbaijani
territories which it occupies and expressed its support for
international mediation efforts, the representative office said.
The Armenian delegation's apparent failure to mention basic principles
of international law in the resolution on strengthening the role of
mediation may explain the seeming nervous behavior and unabashed
remarks at the plenary session of the General Assembly, the report
said.
Attempts to interrupt the presentation being made by the Permanent
Representative of Azerbaijan to the UN supporting the resolution
caused the indignation of many delegations. They expressed their
outrage at Armenia's anti-democratic behavior.
Of course, the result was the adoption of important resolutions amid
active support of Azerbaijan and Armenia's complete isolation in its
position at the UN General Assembly.
Yerevan's official isolation on vital issues is particularly
noteworthy in view of strengthening the mediation efforts and the
upcoming next round of talks to resolve the conflict between Armenia
and Azerbaijan.
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's claimed
territories since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and
seven 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 peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding
regions.