Azerbaijan, 2008

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

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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

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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.