Azerbaijan

At the outset, I have the honour of congratulating His Excellency Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann of Nicaragua on his election to the post of President of the General Assembly at its sixty-third session. I wish him every success in his endeavours. I would like also to pay tribute to his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Srgjan Kerim, for his active collaboration with delegations throughout the last session. I wish also to express my profound respect for the able leadership demonstrated by His Excellency Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in the management of the United Nations. The effectiveness of the international security system has an impact on the authority of the United Nations. When agreement among Security Council members on approaches to overcoming challenges to world peace seems elusive, the common security and credibility of the United Nations are seriously affected. We shall respect our shared values and accept the restraints inherent in those values in order to find an approach that is based on a global consensus. The A/63/PV.13 13 08-53122 Security Council must fully realize its primary responsibility for the collective management of threats that transcend national boundaries and have implications for international security. All of us must strictly follow the Charter as a unique instrument of international relations. The reform of the United Nations and its Security Council will further improve the credibility of the United Nations system. The success of the reforms will depend on our political willingness to deliver the expected results. We need to harmonize diverging views in order to arrive at a generally acceptable solution that will reflect the universal character of the United Nations and adapt it to present-day realities. We must enhance the role of the General Assembly as the supreme policymaking organ of the United Nations. It is only by strengthening the Assembly’s mandate that we can successfully tackle some of the most pressing issues facing humanity. This session is taking place at a very critical juncture for the South Caucasus region and for the international community as a whole. The worrisome events that took place last month in Georgia have clearly shown that restoring stability to the region requires a collective effort to strengthen the international security system. Obviously, the situation in that region is a matter of concern for us, and Azerbaijan is already making its contribution to reduce tensions. We firmly believe that issues that cause disagreements in the region must be settled peacefully, through dialogue, on the basis of the norms and principles of international law and mutual respect. The Georgian case has also proved that the protracted conflicts existing in the area of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova (GUAM), including the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, remain a major source of instability, and a fragile ceasefire regime cannot be a substitute for lasting peace in the region. Persistence of these conflicts endangers international peace and security and prevents the full utilization of the potential of this strategically important region, situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. A resolution of the protracted conflicts in the GUAM area will not only bring immediate benefits to affected countries, but will substantially contribute to stability and regional security. In that context, the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform initiated by Turkey could serve as a good departure point for building the regional security system. It is of utmost importance to ensure that our common efforts are built on the principles of mutual respect for territorial integrity, recognition of existing borders, equality and good-neighbourliness. The prerequisite for the establishment of cooperation and good-neighbourly relations in the region is the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied lands and the restoration of the full sovereignty of Azerbaijan over those territories. Only through that can we pave the way for peace and economic prosperity for the entire region. The earliest possible resolution of the armed conflict in and around the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan remains a primary task for us. The Government of Azerbaijan is committed to a peaceful settlement of the conflict on the basis of the norms and principles of international law, including relevant Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions and documents of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. In order to facilitate the negotiation process, Azerbaijan initiated, during the sixty-second session of the General Assembly, consideration of the agenda item entitled, “The situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan”. The Assembly comprehensively addressed the issue and adopted resolution 62/243. We highly appreciate the principled support of the States members of the General Assembly for that resolution, which reaffirmed the Assembly’s continued respect and support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders and demanded the withdrawal of all Armenian forces from all the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The resolution also reaffirmed “that no State shall recognize as lawful the situation resulting from the occupation of the territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan, nor render aid or assistance in maintaining this situation” (resolution 62/243, para. 5). It recognized “the inalienable right of the population expelled from the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan to return to their homes, and stresse[d] the necessity of creating appropriate conditions for this return, including the A/63/PV.13 08-53122 14 comprehensive rehabilitation of the conflict- affected territories”. (para. 3) The Assembly “[recognized] the necessity of providing normal, secure and equal conditions of life for Armenian and Azerbaijani communities in the Nagorno- Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, which will allow an effective democratic system of self- governance to be built up in this region within the Republic of Azerbaijan”. (para. 4) I would like to stress that the principles laid out in the resolution will be used as a basis in the negotiation process. The General Assembly will continue to follow the situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan under agenda item 18 of the current session. In recent years, Azerbaijan has made crucial contributions to strengthening regional stability by promoting security, energy, communications and economic cooperation projects. Production and secure delivery of hydrocarbon resources of the Caspian Sea to international markets has been an important element of Azerbaijan’s foreign and domestic policy. We will continue to carry out a strategy that will substantially improve energy security and economic prospects in the region and beyond. Another strategic project under implementation is the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway linking our country with Georgia and Turkey through a major transport connection. This will create an essentially new and effective communication corridor between East and West, between Europe and Asia. The economic development and growth of Azerbaijan have been on the rise. The growth rate of our gross domestic product remains one of the highest in the world, and reached 18 per cent in the first nine months of 2008. According to the forecasts of international financial institutions, the growth rate will retain its dynamics for the next year. Azerbaijan is of the view that facilitating trade offers enormous opportunities to pursue development objectives. Against this background, the joint report of the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, “Doing Business 2009”, recognized my country as a top reformer in 2007-2008 in implementing business regulatory reforms, and as one of the leading countries with investment-friendly economies. According to the report, out of 181 countries, Azerbaijan was rated first in improving the commercial environment and encouraging business start-ups. Azerbaijan strongly believes that these factors are central in attracting and mobilizing financial resources to support socio-economic development of the country. In the meantime, we are champions in the implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and consider the General Assembly’s adoption without a vote of resolution 62/274, on the EITI, as a sign of the global recognition of our efforts. Protection and promotion of human rights is one of the central duties of the international community. Today, this is not merely a question of protecting individuals; it is fundamental to promoting peace and stability around the globe. Azerbaijan remains actively involved in the work of the United Nations human rights bodies. As a member of the Human Rights Council, we attach great importance to the efficient functioning of the Council. It is our common task and responsibility to ensure that that institution lives up to the expectations vested in it and truly becomes an objective, vigorous and credible universal human rights body. Azerbaijan is fully committed to all its obligations as a State member of various international organizations to promote democracy, the rule of law and human rights. We believe that through consistent reforms and investments in education, we will achieve long-term stability and prosperity in our part of the world.