`Azerbaijan’s statements contradict international law’

Aysor, Armenia
July 23 2010

`Azerbaijan’s statements contradict international law’

Hague International Court judgement on recognition of Kosovo
independence was unprecedented. Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh
Kocharyan declared in his interview to `Haylur’ news program.

`It is unprecedented first of all because the International Court
addressed two principles ` correlation of principles of
self-determination of peoples and territorial integrity. The court
judgement comes from UN Regulations,’ Kocharyan explained adding that
self-determination of peoples is one of the UN goals, while
territorial integrity is merely a principle to achieve that goal.

`Under self -determination, territorial integrity is secondary,
self-determination of peoples is primary. Hague Court judgement is
just about it,’ Shavarsh Kocharyan said.

He quoted a fragment from Hague Court President’s speech:
`International law has no obstacle for proclamation of independence.’
Then he quoted U.S. official representative’s statement in the Court:
`International law does not hinder proclamation of independence,
neither it demands a permission for it.’

`Therefore it is obvious that all statements of Azerbaijan completely
contradict international law and second, the International Court, in
essence, said that two Alban states ` Albania and Kosovo can be
independent. Then why did Azerbaijani higher officials declare that
Armenians cannot get self-determination twice, cannot have two
states?’ Deputy Foreign Minister concluded.

From: A. Papazian