At the outset,
I would like to congratulate Mr. John Ashe on his
election to the presidency of the General Assembly at
its sixty-eighth session and wish him every success
in fulfilling this highly responsible duty. We are also
grateful to Mr. Vuk Jeremi. for his able presidency of
General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session.
This year’s general debate is taking place during
a period of serious threats and challenges to peace,
security and sustainable development. Environmental,
economic and social indicators demonstrate that
the models for progress and development need to
be modified and adapted. The theme of the current
general debate, “The post-2015 development agenda:
setting the stage”, is timely and topical in providing
an opportunity for evaluating the progress achieved so
far and identifying new ways of overcoming existing
obstacles.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),
which were adopted to address extreme poverty and
multiple other forms of deprivation and for defining
future development priorities, are of key importance in
making future positive differences in the world.
Azerbaijan recently became a donor country and
contributes to the sustainable development efforts of
countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. This is a
brand-new chapter in the history of my country and its
activities in the international arena. A national entity,
the Azerbaijan International Development Agency,
which was established for that purpose, has already
carried out various assistance programmes in more
than 20 countries. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation
has also conducted various humanitarian and social
programmes.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations recently commended Azerbaijan’s
achievements in combating hunger and recognized that
the country has accomplished the first MDG, namely,
combating undernourishment. Moreover, gender
equality, the empowerment of women and the fight
against HIV/AIDS have also been identified as areas
of progress.
One of the key elements that Azerbaijan is
considering in the context of the post-2015 agenda is
information and communications technology (ICT),
which is a driving force of development and progress.
To achieve the objective of ensuring improved access
to ICT, efforts must be intensified to enhance regional
synergies for promoting investment in ICT capacity-
building, refocusing tools and content so as to address
the particular needs of populations and thus better
deploying ICT in the service of sustainable development.
In that connection, Azerbaijan has put forward
a proposal to establish the Eurasian Connectivity
Alliance, a regional platform in support of improved
connectivity and greater cooperation in the field of
ICT. We are encouraged by Member States’ support for
that initiative through the adoption of resolution 67/298
in September and look forward to further cooperation
with interested Governments and other stakeholders.
The world is still witnessing violations of the
fundamental norms and principles of international law.
Hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world
continue to suffer from acts of aggression, military
occupation, ethnic cleansing and a prevailing culture of
impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the
international community.
Twenty years ago, in 1993, the Security Council
adopted four resolutions — resolutions 822 (1993), 853
(1993), 874 (1993) and 884 (1993) — condemning the
use of force against Azerbaijan and the occupation of its
territories. In those resolutions, the Council reaffirmed
respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan, reconfirmed that the Nagorno Karabakh
region is an integral part of Azerbaijan, and demanded
the immediate, full and unconditional withdrawal of
the occupying forces from all the occupied territories.
The resolutions also made specific reference to
violations of international humanitarian law, including
the violent displacement of a large number of civilians
in Azerbaijan, attacks on civilians and the bombing of
its territory.
A series of Security Council presidential statements
on the issue adopted between 1992 and 1995 are phrased
along the same lines. All in all, the aforementioned
resolutions, which are clearly the most authoritative and
binding rulings on the problem, acknowledge that acts
of military force were committed against Azerbaijan
and that such acts constitute a serious violation of
international law.
To our deep regret, the Security Council’s principled
demands, including, in the first place, the withdrawal
of occupying forces from the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan, have still not been implemented, and the
mediation efforts conducted for more than 20 years
within the framework of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), have yet to yield
results. Against that background, with a view to
deflecting the attention of the international community
from the urgent need to address the main problems
caused by its continuing aggression against Azerbaijan,
Armenia has been undertaking efforts to distort the
actual situation and downplaying the relevance of
Security Council resolutions and misinterpreting their
provisions. Moreover, Armenia’s continued claims of
annexation and the consistent measures it has been
undertaking in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan
with a view to further consolidating the status quo of
the occupation and preventing the return of hundreds
of thousands of internally displaced persons to their
homeland represent an open challenge to the conflict-
resolution process and pose a serious threat to
international and regional peace and security.
On our initiative at the United Nations in 2005
and 2010, OSCE-led fact-finding and fact-assessment
missions visited the occupied territories. Both missions
documented the fact of illegal activities in those
areas, involving, inter alia, the insertion of settlers,
the extensive redrawing of boundaries, the changing
of original geographic names, and the discriminatory
treatment of cultural property and sacred sites. However,
the missions’ recommendations remain just on paper.
Moreover, the latest reports on the transfer of Syrian
Armenians into the Nagorno Karabakh region and
seven other adjacent occupied districts of Azerbaijan,
along with other illegal activities, including efforts to
operate flights into and out of those territories, provide
yet more evidence of Armenia’s deliberate policy of
annexing Azerbaijani land.
In that regard, it is critical that the international
community continue to insist on the need for an
immediate and unconditional end to all actions that
are seriously obstructing the prospects of a negotiated
peaceful settlement to the conflict. Armenia’s policy of
annexation has absolutely no chance of succeeding. The
Nagorno Karabakh region was, is and will always be an
inalienable part of Azerbaijan. The only way to achieve
a durable and lasting solution and to establish civilized
relations between the two neighbouring States is to
de-occupy Azerbaijani territories, fully re-establish
the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,
and comply immediately with the inalienable right
of refugees and internally displaced persons to
return to their homes. That is what international
law and the relevant Security Council resolutions
require, something that can in no way be introduced
as a bargaining chip during the conflict-settlement
process. Above all, Azerbaijan will never compromise
its territorial integrity or the rights and freedoms of
its citizens. Without prejudice to its rights under the
Charter of the United Nations, in particular those set
forth in Article 51, Azerbaijan has embarked upon, and
remains committed to, the conflict-settlement process.
We have no doubt that the Azerbaijani and
Armenian communities of Nagorno Karabakh will
one day live side by side in peace and dignity in this
region of Azerbaijan. It is therefore essential and
vital to continue efforts towards peace, agreement
and coexistence between the two communities of the
Nagorno Karabakh region. We consider those aspects
to be an important part of the entire reconciliation
process, which should be given the attention it deserves.
Azerbaijan highly appreciates the principled
stance of the States Members of the United Nations
that has been expressed on issues that are important
for Azerbaijan and pertaining to its sovereignty and
territorial integrity. We count on the continued resolve
of the international community to defend the purposes
and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, as
well as its strong solidarity with the just position of
Azerbaijan.
We note the encouraging developments in the
Middle East peace process with the resumption of direct
negotiations between Israel and Palestine. The current
situation of insecurity in the whole region necessitates
progress in the peace process as never before. It is
imperative that the parties demonstrate responsibility
to sustain international efforts towards achieving the
two-State solution and avoid actions that would risk
undermining that objective. The economic, financial
and humanitarian situation in Palestine requires
continued international attention and assistance,
particularly in order to ensure humanitarian aid for the
region.
In June, Azerbaijan hosted a conference of the
Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation on the establishment of an Islamic
financial safety net in support of Palestine, as well as
a donors conference in support of the city of Al-Quds.
States members of the OIC and other international
organizations attending the conferences pledged to
contribute to improving Palestine’s economy, health
care and education, as well as two infrastructure
projects.
We welcome yesterday’s adoption of Security Council
resolution 2118 (2013), regarding the safeguarding and
destruction of Syria’s chemical-weapon stockpiles.
We hope that the unanimous and strong position
demonstrated by the Council will contribute to finding
a political solution to the conflict in Syria, putting an
end to the suffering inflicted on the Syrian people and
ensuring that all parties concerned comply with their
obligations and commitments under international law.
Azerbaijan strongly condemns the use of chemical
weapons in Syria, particularly the resulting killing of
civilians. Resolution 2118 (2013) affirms that the use
of chemical weapons constitutes a serious violation of
international law and qualifies such an act as a threat
to international peace and security. By endorsing the
Geneva communiqué of 30 June 2012 (S/2012/522,
annex) and calling for the convening of an international
conference on Syria, the Security Council paved the
way for achieving a peaceful transition, stability and
reconciliation. It is imperative that all parties cease
armed violence, engage constructively in the political
process and commit to the implementation of the
Geneva communiqué.
In conclusion, I would like to express our hope
that during the sixty-eighth session of the General
Assembly, Member States will be able to take
successful steps towards a stronger and more effective
United Nations. We look forward to the continued
commitment and engagement of the United Nations
system, both in reinforcing the implementation of
national development goals by individual countries and
in ensuring the implementation of the decisions and
resolutions adopted by the Organization.