Azerbaijan, 2013

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.