Political, legal and historical aspects of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were presented by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan fat the UN in a completely distorted form, Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev said, Trend reports.
He was commenting on the speech by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during the general discussions of the UN General Assembly.
Hikmet Hajiyev said that the leadership of Armenia, which in its speech in August this year in the occupied Azerbaijani city of Khankendi called for the annexation of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, seriously undermining the process of negotiations conducted through the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, is trying today to seem "peaceful" with UN stands mislead the international community.
Firstly, Nagorno-Karabakh is a historical land and an integral part of Azerbaijan. On July 5, 1921, the Caucasian Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) decided to leave Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. Despite the false claims of the Armenians, the expression "transfer of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan" was not used here.
Since the 80s of the last century, Armenia has made open claims to the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region (NKAO), actively supported violent acts and aggressive separatism.
Even at that time it was confirmed at the highest constitutional level that the secession of Nagorno-Karabakh unilaterally without the permission of Azerbaijan was contrary to Soviet laws. According to the legislation that was applied during the period when Azerbaijan regained its independence, Nagorno-Karabakh was clearly considered an integral part of Azerbaijani territories. Armenia’s claims of "joining Armenia" or gaining "independence" of Nagorno-Karabakh contradict the principle of uti possidetis accepted in international law, which is why they are unjustified in the framework of international law.
The uti possidetis principle clearly defines that Azerbaijan declared independence within the borders established by Soviet laws until independence was restored.
Secondly, the Prime Minister of Armenia, speaking from the UN rostrum, kept silent about the fact of a serious violation by his country of obligations undertaken on the basis of the UN Charter.
Recall that on the basis of paragraph 4 of Article 2 of the UN Charter "all states must refrain from the threat of force or its use against the territorial integrity or sovereignty of another state."
Based on the decisions of the International Nuremberg Trials regarding the outcome of World War II, Chapter VII of the UN Charter, entitled "Actions against a threat to peace, violations of peace and acts of aggression", occupation and military aggression are established as a serious international crime.
Armenia, using military force, occupied the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the adjacent seven regions of Azerbaijan, carried out bloody ethnic cleansing in these territories against the Azerbaijani population.As a result of this policy, more than a million of our compatriots are still in the position of refugees and internally displaced persons. In addition, contrary to international humanitarian law, Armenia carries out targeted activities in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan to change the demographic composition and destroy material and cultural monuments belonging to the Azerbaijani people.
The UN Security Council adopted resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 in connection with the conflict. In these resolutions, the UN Security Council condemns the use of force against Azerbaijan, the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, attacks on civilians and the bombing of Azerbaijani settlements, once again confirms that Nagorny Karabakh is an integral part of Azerbaijan, territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of the borders of Azerbaijan. Resolutions of the UN Security Council also emphasize the unacceptability of seizing territories by force and demanding the complete and unconditional withdrawal of occupying forces from all occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
Armenia ignores the decisions and resolutions of the UN Security Council and other international organizations.
Recall also that according to paragraph 25 of the UN Charter, UN member states must adopt and implement Security Council decisions on the basis of this Charter.
The basis of the mandate of the members of the OSCE Minsk Group, which mediates to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, is formed by the relevant Security Council resolutions. The international community recognizes and supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan within internationally recognized borders.
Thirdly, the Armenian leadership claims that this conflict is not a territorial conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, saying that this is a human rights issue.Resolutions of the UN Security Council, the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of "Chiragov and Others v. Armenia" clearly prove that the occupation of territories by force is the fundamental basis of this conflict. According to the verdict of the European Court of Human Rights, the self-proclaimed regime created in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan exists thanks to the political, military, financial and other support of Armenia.The military presence of the Armenian armed forces in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and the ongoing occupation openly demonstrate the true essence of the conflict.
At the same time, if the Armenian leadership wishes to present this conflict in the context of human rights, it will thus recognize the bloody ethnic cleansing committed by his country against more than a million Azerbaijanis and the violation of their fundamental rights. Human rights are universal. If Armenia, as a result of occupation and military aggression, violated the fundamental rights of more than a million Azerbaijanis, then its ranting about human rights is hypocrisy and absurdity.
Fourth, the Armenian leadership says that the conflict should be resolved on the basis of a formula acceptable to Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. Parties to the conflict are Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan has Azerbaijani and Armenian communities.
Azerbaijan does not make any territorial claims against any state. An acceptable settlement of the conflict for Azerbaijan is based on the UN Charter, international law and justice, and the international community supports this position. To resolve the conflict, Armenian troops must be withdrawn from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, military occupation must be put to an end, Azerbaijani IDPs must return to their homes, the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan must be restored. A self-government model should be defined, providing for the joint residence of the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in peace and security within the borders of Azerbaijan.
In a statement dated March 9, 2019, which is repeatedly referred to by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, a roadmap for resolving the conflict is displayed.
There is no model for resolving the conflict outside the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. An early settlement of the conflict can help ensure sustainable peace and security, improve the welfare of the Armenian community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, currently living in difficult conditions, and develop Armenia itself.
Finally, Armenia should understand that the military occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan is not a settlement of the conflict and will never give the political result desired by Armenia.
Instead of wasting time and searching for unreasonable historical, populist and demagogic arguments to justify the policy of annexation and misleading its people and the international community, Armenia should take a constructive part in the conflict settlement process, fulfill international obligations and withdraw its troops from occupied Azerbaijan territories.
