Unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh has no legal grounds to observe UN decision: Helsinki Initiative-92
“Non-recognition of NKR is a problem of the international community, not one of Nagorno-Karabakh. For our part, we are open to the international community and improve our democratic system by practically implementing all programs rooted in modern challenges and aiming at maintaining and strengthening global and regional security.” Coordinator of the Nagorno-Karabakh Committee of “Helsinki Initiative-92” Karen Ohandjanyan made the statement while commenting to REGNUM on recently adopted by UN General Assembly's resolution “The situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.”
In his words, UN GA decision “causes concern; however, if the international community does not recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, the decision of the international community will then have no legal force for Stepanakert.” “Nagorno Karabakh used its right for self-determination in 1991, using all legal mechanisms corresponding to international law. And today, the NKR people is bound to defend its right to individually decide its own fate and be a part of the international community, to which it de facto belongs,” Karen Ohanjanyan said.
On March 14, the UN General Assembly voted on an initiated by Baku resolution “The situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan” (39 delegations approved, 7 disapproved, and 100 abstained). The resolution authors stress “the necessity of total, unconditional and immediate withdrawal of the occupation forces of Armenia from all occupied territories of the Azerbaijan.” Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement (the USA and France are members, beside Russia) voted against the project. In a joint statement on the motives of the vote they explained their position by one-sidedness, untimeliness, and unproductiveness of the Azerbaijani side's step.
The resolution was approved by: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Columbia, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Gambia, Georgia, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldive Islands, Moldova, Morocco, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra-Leone, Somali, Sudan, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Yemen.
Angola, Armenia, France, India, Russia, the USA, and Vanuatu voted against the resolution.
Head of Armenian foreign ministry characterized the resolution as hypocritical. “The whole issue depends on whether Azerbaijan will further undermine the peace process or sit down at the negotiations table,” Vardan Oskanian stated.
15:36 03/17/2008
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