Tweet
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Nov 8 2013
Azerbaijani FM calls for implementation of UNSC resolutions
8 November 2013, 12:14 (GMT+04:00)
By Sara Rajabova
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister addressed the 6th Democracy Forum held in
Indonesia on November 7-8.
During his speech at the forum, Elmar Mammadyarov said that the world
was still facing violations of fundamental norms and principles of
international law.
"Today, Armenian occupation of our internationally recognized
territories -Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 adjacent districts-
continues to represent the major challenge to maintaining basic human
rights in Azerbaijan, since it resulted in the forced displacement of
a million Azerbaijani civilians and is still causing serious harm to
the economic welfare, health, and education of our citizens,"
Mammadyarov said.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the
early 1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian
armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's
internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and
seven adjacent regions.
He said that four UN Security Council resolutions reaffirming respect
for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and
demanding the immediate, full, and unconditional withdrawal of the
occupying forces from all the occupied territories still remained
unfulfilled.
Mammadyarov said that, in this regard, it was critical that the
international community continue to insist on the implementation of
these UN Security Council resolutions with a view to facilitating a
negotiated settlement of the conflict.
The Minister also said that Azerbaijan was an ancient civilization,
yet a young democracy.
He said since regaining independence more than two decades ago,
Azerbaijan had been building a free, democratic, and secular society
in which everyone could enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms
equally and fully, regardless of his or her racial, religious, or
ethnic background.
"To this end, Azerbaijan continues to cooperate closely with the
Council of Europe -the continent's main human rights watchdog- and the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe for the further
development of domestic human-rights protection mechanisms and
fostering democratic reforms," Mammadyarov said.
He said that in May 2014, Azerbaijan would assume the chairmanship of
the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and during its
presidency it would encourage cooperation with regional organizations,
including those representing other continents.
"In this regard, there is an opportunity for joint activities between
the Council of Europe and the Bali Forum's implementing agency -the
Institute of Peace and Democracy- in order to increase the
effectiveness of efforts in the crosscutting areas , like the
promotion of inter-religious and intercultural dialogue," Mammadyarov
said.
He said Azerbaijan had always been a place of peaceful co-existence
and tolerance between different ethnic groups and religions.
"As a bridge between East and West and an active member of the Group
of Friends of the Alliance of Civilizations, Azerbaijan contributes to
the promotion of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue, which is
one of the main priorities of its foreign policy," Mammadyarov said.
He also mentioned the World Intercultural Dialogue Forum and Baku
International Humanitarian Forum organized regularly in Baku, bringing
together the representatives of all continents to discuss the global
challenges that the world faces today.
"As President Aliyev stated recently during his inaugural speech,
promotion of tolerance and multiculturalism is both a modus vivendi
and a priority for Azerbaijan's policy," Mammadyarov.
He said that Azerbaijan supported the initiative of holding the
Democracy Forum as an effective platform.
The theme of this annual forum is 'Consolidating Democracy in
Pluralistic Society'.
The Democracy Forum has been held since 2008 at Indonesia's initiative.
The purpose of the forum is the consolidation of international and
regional cooperation through dialogue and exchange of experience in
the sphere of peace and democracy.
From: A. Papazian
Nov 8 2013
Azerbaijani FM calls for implementation of UNSC resolutions
8 November 2013, 12:14 (GMT+04:00)
By Sara Rajabova
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister addressed the 6th Democracy Forum held in
Indonesia on November 7-8.
During his speech at the forum, Elmar Mammadyarov said that the world
was still facing violations of fundamental norms and principles of
international law.
"Today, Armenian occupation of our internationally recognized
territories -Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 adjacent districts-
continues to represent the major challenge to maintaining basic human
rights in Azerbaijan, since it resulted in the forced displacement of
a million Azerbaijani civilians and is still causing serious harm to
the economic welfare, health, and education of our citizens,"
Mammadyarov said.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the
early 1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian
armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's
internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and
seven adjacent regions.
He said that four UN Security Council resolutions reaffirming respect
for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and
demanding the immediate, full, and unconditional withdrawal of the
occupying forces from all the occupied territories still remained
unfulfilled.
Mammadyarov said that, in this regard, it was critical that the
international community continue to insist on the implementation of
these UN Security Council resolutions with a view to facilitating a
negotiated settlement of the conflict.
The Minister also said that Azerbaijan was an ancient civilization,
yet a young democracy.
He said since regaining independence more than two decades ago,
Azerbaijan had been building a free, democratic, and secular society
in which everyone could enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms
equally and fully, regardless of his or her racial, religious, or
ethnic background.
"To this end, Azerbaijan continues to cooperate closely with the
Council of Europe -the continent's main human rights watchdog- and the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe for the further
development of domestic human-rights protection mechanisms and
fostering democratic reforms," Mammadyarov said.
He said that in May 2014, Azerbaijan would assume the chairmanship of
the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and during its
presidency it would encourage cooperation with regional organizations,
including those representing other continents.
"In this regard, there is an opportunity for joint activities between
the Council of Europe and the Bali Forum's implementing agency -the
Institute of Peace and Democracy- in order to increase the
effectiveness of efforts in the crosscutting areas , like the
promotion of inter-religious and intercultural dialogue," Mammadyarov
said.
He said Azerbaijan had always been a place of peaceful co-existence
and tolerance between different ethnic groups and religions.
"As a bridge between East and West and an active member of the Group
of Friends of the Alliance of Civilizations, Azerbaijan contributes to
the promotion of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue, which is
one of the main priorities of its foreign policy," Mammadyarov said.
He also mentioned the World Intercultural Dialogue Forum and Baku
International Humanitarian Forum organized regularly in Baku, bringing
together the representatives of all continents to discuss the global
challenges that the world faces today.
"As President Aliyev stated recently during his inaugural speech,
promotion of tolerance and multiculturalism is both a modus vivendi
and a priority for Azerbaijan's policy," Mammadyarov.
He said that Azerbaijan supported the initiative of holding the
Democracy Forum as an effective platform.
The theme of this annual forum is 'Consolidating Democracy in
Pluralistic Society'.
The Democracy Forum has been held since 2008 at Indonesia's initiative.
The purpose of the forum is the consolidation of international and
regional cooperation through dialogue and exchange of experience in
the sphere of peace and democracy.
From: A. Papazian