The permanent mission made a statement in response to the report by the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group.
The conflict can be resolved on the basis of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders, said the statement.
“The sooner Armenia comprehends this irrefutable reality, the earlier the conflict would be resolved and the countries and peoples in the region would benefit from the prospects of cooperation and economic development. In this context, we look forward for the next meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan and hope that this meeting will be instrumental in re-invigorating substantive talks on political solution of the conflict,” the permanent mission stressed.
Azerbaijan cannot engage in the peace process that is not based on the mandate and tasking of the UNSC given to the co-chairs and it will not conduct the negotiations just to imitate the peace process, said the statement.
Azerbaijan’s permanent mission encourages the OSCE participating states and the OSCE Minsk Group to consider the following political guidance for the mediators, if the OSCE has an interest in achieving a peaceful resolution of this conflict, according to the statement.
“First, the OSCE MG co-chairs should build their activity strictly in accordance with relevant provisions of the UNSC resolutions, OSCE Budapest 1994 Summit decision and UN Charter, which constitute the basis of their mandate. Second, the co-chairs must intensify their efforts to start the negotiations on comprehensive peace agreement without further delay,” said the permanent mission.
“Third, Armenia must be pressured to withdraw from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and the OSCE MG co-chairs have to persuade Armenia to change the status quo in the interests of peace. Fourth, the co-Chairs should cease their attempts to monopolize the peace process and to prevent any initiative aimed at advancing it. The co-Chairs need to take more constructive attitude towards other international structures and bilateral initiatives promoting resolution of the conflict and take advantage of the opportunities they could offer. The OSCE Minsk Group must be revitalized and comprehensively address obstacles to the negotiation process. Fifth, concerns over the attempts to consolidate the results of occupation of the territories of
Azerbaijan must be promptly addressed by the OSCE Minsk Group and its co-Chairs as the situation there directly impacts on the prospects of conflict settlement. The co-chairs must dissuade Armenia’s provocations on the ground as it is detrimental to the peace process,” said the statement.
Despite the above-mentioned difficulties to the peace process, which we hope that the co-chairs will find it possible to rectify, the mere fact that Azerbaijan hopes that the negotiations will yield results is a sign of a genuine political will of the leadership of Azerbaijan to finding a peaceful end to the conflict, noted the permanent mission.
Azerbaijan remains to be the most interested party in finding the earliest political solution to the harsh humanitarian, military, political, economic and social consequences of the conflict and to restore the violated human rights of up to 1 million of refugees and IDPs, said the statement.
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