Statement by H.E. Mr. Arif MAMEDOV, Ambassador, Head of Delegation
of AZERBAIJAN,
THIRD
UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES,
15 May 2001
Dear Mr. Chairman,
Distinguished guests of the Conference,
Ladies & Gentlemen,
It's an inescapable fact that at the start of the 21st century, when the
ongoing process of globalisation is fundamentally changing the world, millions of people are
living in abject poverty.
The international community has the common responsibility to address new
development challenges, reverse the trend of marginalization and integrate the
poorest countries in the globalization process.
These issues should be addressed not only in respect of the least developed
countries but also the countries which are on the process of transition from
centralized to market oriented economy.
Territorial conflicts and separatism is one of the major challenges on the way
of fighting the poverty and building the peace and social stability.
The conflicts in the South Caucasus are the major factor which impeed the development
and prosperity of the region. One of the most dangerous conflicts which emerged
on the territory of the former USSR is the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan
over Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. The region which had all the chances
of becoming one of the most prosperous in the world is suffering as the result
of the conflict.
Armenia,
striving to realize its territorial claims against neighboring country of
Azerbaijan, has provoked separatist and terrorist forces in Nagorno-Karabakh to
an armed confrontation. Later Armenia itself started a military aggression
against Azerbaijan. This process was marked by murders and violence. And the
genocide was carried out against the Azerbaijani population in the town of
Khojaly. After occupying Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenian armed forces escalated
their military operations beyond borders of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and
additionally occupied, outside of it, seven large administrative regions of
Azerbaijan.
Thus, 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan had been occupied by the year
1993, and at present continue to remain under the occupation of the Armenian
armed forces. Everything on that territory is destroyed, looted, razed to
earth.
About a million Azerbaijanis, one out of every eight citizens of the country,
have been forced out from their land and have been living in tents under
unbearable hardships for already nine years. A new generation has grown up in
tents. It is hard to find any other parallel situation in the world, when one
state has occupied other states territories, carried ethnic cleansing there in
a massive scale, and the world community silently observes this tragedy.
All the talks have not produced any result, since Armenia by all means strives
to seize part of the territory of Azerbaijan, annex it, or gain the status of
independence for the Nagorno-Karabakh.
However, the current situation in the peace process creates a dangerous
precedent in international relations.
In 1993, the UN Security Council has several times debated the issue of the
Armenian armed occupation of Azerbaijani territories. Four resolutions have
been adopted - No. 822 on April 30, No. 853 dated July 29, No. 874 on October
14, and No. 884 on November 11. In these resolutions the UN Security Council
resolutely demanded immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian
armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, as well as creating
conditions for the return of refugees and internally displaced people to their
homes and native lands. The United Nations absolutely supported sovereignty and
territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
However, all these resolutions have not been implemented so far, since the UN
Security Council has not an appropriate mechanism.
It is obvious that setting up of a strong and effective enforcement mechanisms
would facilitate the settlement of the existing interstate conflicts that would
reduce the poverty and promote peace, stability and prosperity.
Thank you for your attention.