"The result for Armenia - they made some noise and vice versa." View from Baku on the results of the meeting of the UN Security Council
Results of the meeting of the UN Security Council
The meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation around the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, initiated by Armenia, ended without result. After the discussions, no document was adopted. “Armenia’s attempt to manipulate the UN Security Council for its own purposes failed once again,” the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said.
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“The result for Armenia is making noise and vice versa”
Political scientist Farhad Mammadov assessed the results of the meeting of the UN Security Council and spoke about his opinion on the future of the negotiation process between Azerbaijan and Armenia:
“In short,
- the result for Armenia is to make some noise and vice versa!
- the result of the meeting – they listened and that’s it … there are solutions, we must use all options …
- Russia, compared to the position of the United States, looked more substantive…
- The United States once again mentioned “Nagorno-Karabakh” without any territorial connection to Azerbaijan, which makes Washington’s position inconsistent… you won’t get far with such content. Basically, they didn’t leave. This is the same as calling part of the territory of Ukraine Novorossia.
- The permanent representative of Azerbaijan is a separate part of the action: pauses, glances at the Armenian side and the last photos that he handed over to the UN representative – it was enchanting. In terms of content, of course, the strikes were accurate and justified.
- Mirzoyan?! And what about Mirzoyan? Nothing unusual, a set of emotional and manipulative stuffing … this is their style, more journalistic than political and legal.
August 17th has come, and tomorrow is the 18th …
By the way, a lot will depend on the future days in the context where everything will unfold, the meeting itself is the tip of the iceberg, the main part of the negotiations takes place on the sidelines.
After this meeting and the opinions expressed, the Washington and Brussels formats are in doubt, and their role in the region will depend on how far Washington and Brussels go in their intentions.”
What was discussed in the UN Security Council?
The Lachin road should be opened for humanitarian aid, along with the road from Aghdam to Khankendi (Stepanakert), and Armenia and Azerbaijan should normalize relations.
These are the main points of speeches by representatives of more than ten countries and a number of international organizations at a meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation in the Lachin corridor. No statements, let alone resolutions, were adopted following the discussions.
Most of the speakers urged not to politicize issues of humanitarian aid, to delimit and demarcate the state border, to clear mines, which will reduce tension and contribute to the normalization of relations.
The Russian representative pointed to his government’s compromise proposal to reduce tensions, involving the parallel opening of corridors through Aghdam and Lachin.
According to the representative of Turkey, Azerbaijan has long been saying that “the Lachin corridor was used to supply weapons and mines to Karabakh. Azerbaijan has taken security measures on its territory and respects humanitarian issues, allowing medical evacuation along the Lachin road.”
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan called on the Russian peacekeepers and the Security Council to take steps to immediately open traffic and people along the Lachin road.
In turn, the representative of Azerbaijan to the UN, Yashar Aliyev, rejecting these claims, accused Armenia of trying to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of his country.
He recalled the decision of the International Court of Justice, which rejected the request of Armenia to recognize the border checkpoint in Lachin as illegal. Aliyev also recalled that it was the Armenian side that thwarted the recent agreement on the simultaneous opening of traffic to Karabakh through Lachin and Aghdam.
Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has released a statement regarding the discussions held in the UN Security Council on August 16, 2023, at the request of Armenia.
According to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Armenia’s attempt to “manipulate the UN Security Council for its own purposes has once again failed. These manipulative tactics used by Armenia within this respected global platform are not only ineffective, but also undermine efforts to advance post-conflict normalization.”
“Azerbaijan expresses its optimism that Armenia is aware of the fact that a constructive settlement requires participation in accordance with international law and obligations. As several members of the UN Security Council have emphasized, the cornerstone of regional calm and stability depends on the genuine recognition of sovereignty and territorial integrity, both in word and in deed.
Azerbaijan appreciates the statements made by the various member states of the Security Council, along with Turkey, in favor of genuine dialogue and sincere cooperation. These comments relate specifically to the implementation of the routes proposed by Azerbaijan, in particular the Agdam-Khankendi road, designed to facilitate the supply of essential goods to the local Armenian population in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.
The discussions confirmed the favorable reception of Azerbaijan’s proposal to use the Aghdam-Khankendi road, indicating international approval. It is considered important that Armenia abandon its obstacles in this regard by ensuring the legal and transparent transportation of goods to the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.
Moreover, recognition by some member states of Azerbaijan’s legitimate security concerns is seen as a promising step towards resolving regional problems.
During the debate, Azerbaijan emphasized its offer of peace to Armenia based on mutual recognition and respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolable borders. At the same time, Azerbaijan is actively pursuing a policy of integrating ethnic Armenians living in the Karabakh region as equal citizens, endowed with a full range of rights and freedoms set forth in the Constitution of Azerbaijan, and protected by relevant international human rights mechanisms to which Azerbaijan is a party. The unwavering commitment to these dual goals remains unchanged, underpinned by a strong commitment to protect sovereignty and territorial integrity through the legal framework articulated in the UN Charter and international law,” the document says.
The statement notes that Azerbaijan remains committed to developing productive cooperation with those who are sincerely committed to advancing the normalization agenda, with individuals and organizations that can contribute to the long-awaited peace and stability in the region.
