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AzerNews, Azerbaijan
May 23 2013
Top Azerbaijani official: Double standards observed in OSCE work
23 MAY 2013, 15:30 (GMT+05:00)
There are double standards in OSCE's work in the South Caucasus
region, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has said in an
interview with Russian Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper.
"There are double standards in assessing the internal situation in the
country," Mammadyarov said, while answering the question about Baku's
plans to reduce the OSCE representative office's status in Azerbaijan.
"For example an attempt of one presidential candidate to shoot other
or another candidate's hunger strike are not indicated in the official
records of the organisation, but the elections are characterised as
transparent and democratic. However the processes are thoroughly
examined in other countries."
Regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the minister said that
"diplomacy is not exhausted".
"We must triple our efforts, rather than double them to break this
vicious circle where we are at present," Mammadyarov said. "Let's ask
the question, hold a public opinion poll in Armenia. What did they
win? Who won?"
"The essence of the Madrid principles which are being negotiated, is
that Baku gets seven regions around Nagorno-Karabakh with a fixed
date," he said. "Besides security guarantees, the Armenian party gets
the temporary status of Karabakh. Economic development will be also
observed. Refugees will return home. The communications will be
opened. Normal full life will be resumed. At present it does not exist
across almost 20 per cent of Azerbaijani territory."
According to the minister it is absurd is that no country in the world
even Armenia, recognised the independence of occupied
Nagorno-Karabakh.
"It is ridiculous," he said. "All the people of Azerbaijani
nationality were expelled from Karabakh and [Armenians] stated that
they used the principle of the nation's right to self-determination.
Are the Azerbaijanis not a nation? Nobody denies the principle of the
nation's right to self-determination. It is fixed in the UN Charter
and the Helsinki Act, as well as the principle of territorial
integrity. Inaction deteriorates the situation."
According to the minister, the tension on the contact line is growing
and a crisis will occur because the gap between the two countries is
increasing.
"The economy plays a major role in terms of resolving various
conflicts," he added. "Military actions are undesirable."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan 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.
May 23 2013
Top Azerbaijani official: Double standards observed in OSCE work
23 MAY 2013, 15:30 (GMT+05:00)
There are double standards in OSCE's work in the South Caucasus
region, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has said in an
interview with Russian Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper.
"There are double standards in assessing the internal situation in the
country," Mammadyarov said, while answering the question about Baku's
plans to reduce the OSCE representative office's status in Azerbaijan.
"For example an attempt of one presidential candidate to shoot other
or another candidate's hunger strike are not indicated in the official
records of the organisation, but the elections are characterised as
transparent and democratic. However the processes are thoroughly
examined in other countries."
Regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the minister said that
"diplomacy is not exhausted".
"We must triple our efforts, rather than double them to break this
vicious circle where we are at present," Mammadyarov said. "Let's ask
the question, hold a public opinion poll in Armenia. What did they
win? Who won?"
"The essence of the Madrid principles which are being negotiated, is
that Baku gets seven regions around Nagorno-Karabakh with a fixed
date," he said. "Besides security guarantees, the Armenian party gets
the temporary status of Karabakh. Economic development will be also
observed. Refugees will return home. The communications will be
opened. Normal full life will be resumed. At present it does not exist
across almost 20 per cent of Azerbaijani territory."
According to the minister it is absurd is that no country in the world
even Armenia, recognised the independence of occupied
Nagorno-Karabakh.
"It is ridiculous," he said. "All the people of Azerbaijani
nationality were expelled from Karabakh and [Armenians] stated that
they used the principle of the nation's right to self-determination.
Are the Azerbaijanis not a nation? Nobody denies the principle of the
nation's right to self-determination. It is fixed in the UN Charter
and the Helsinki Act, as well as the principle of territorial
integrity. Inaction deteriorates the situation."
According to the minister, the tension on the contact line is growing
and a crisis will occur because the gap between the two countries is
increasing.
"The economy plays a major role in terms of resolving various
conflicts," he added. "Military actions are undesirable."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan 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.