Cihan News Agency (CNA), Turkey
June 28, 2014 Saturday
Azerbaijan urges withdrawal of one-sided document until it includes Karabakh
BAKÜ (CIHAN)- When adopting a resolution for the settlement of
conflicts in the region, it should cover all regional conflicts, Bahar
Muradova, Head of the Azerbaijani Delegation to OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly said.
Muradova made the remarks during the discussions on a draft law on
Ukraine, held as part of the 23rd Annual Session of the OSCE PA in
Baku.
“Why do you forget about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict? It has
already been 22 years that the OSCE, as well as the U.S., can’t find a
solution. Then why now you don’t mention that, and hold the discussion
of the one-sided resolution?,” Muradova asked.
It should be noted that during the standing committee meeting held as
part of the OSCE PA Annual Session in Baku on June 28, the PA
President Ranko Krivokapic put up a draft resolution on Ukraine for
discussions.
The draft resolution was presented by the Deputy Head of the U.S.
Delegation to the OSCE PA, Senator Benjamin Cardin, and condemns
Russia’s aggression policy against Ukraine, demanding an immediate
liberation of the Crimea, and envisages imposition of serious
sanctions against Russia, in case if the demands are not met.
Bahar Muradova said the adoption of such a resolution is unfair.
“The U.S. as an OSCE Minsk Group co-chair must take serious steps to
fulfil commitments on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
For 22 years Azerbaijan has been waiting the return of its occupied
territories, and that’s exactly what the country expects of you,”
Muradova stressed.
“As we expect such a resolution, you in our country hold back on that,
and yet adopt a one-sided resolution on a completely new conflict,”
Muradova said. “We believe that the OSCE has a chance to implement the
steps that can resolve the existing conflicts in the region, and
prevent the future ones.”
“Therefore, we propose and urge Senator Cardin to apply the resolution
to all conflicts,” Muradova added. “We would like the interests of
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova to be equally reflected in
the draft resolution or by revoking the document, we urge to work on
it and submit it for discussion at the Helsinki 40 anniversary event,”
Muradova said.
She went on to note that currently the draft resolution is limited,
one-sided and does not fully cover the regional conflicts, and
therefore, Azerbaijan is fully against passing the document in this
form.
The draft resolution on Russia’s violating Helsinki Principles has
been included in the agenda of the 23rd summer session of the OSCE PA,
held in Baku.
Some 30 member-states voted for its including in the agenda, five
countries voted against, while other countries refused to participate
in the voting.
The resolution is planned to be discussed on July 1.
The 23rd Annual Session of the OSCE PA has started in Baku today and
will last until July 2. A meeting of the committees on political and
security issues, economic issues, science, technology and environment,
as well as democracy, human rights and humanitarian issues will be
held during the session.
Moreover, special debates on the growth of extremism, radicalism and
xenophobia, as well as the situation in Ukraine are planned to be
held. The management of the assembly will be elected at the annual
session.
The results of the election monitoring missions’ activity and
organizational issues of the assembly will be discussed.
The OSCE PA’s 2014 Baku Declaration will be adopted following the discussions.