Double standards hinder efforts to achieve resolution of conflicts

Azerbaijan supports the intention of the Italian OSCE Chairmanship to promote meaningful dialogue on matters related to the politico-military dimension.

The Azerbaijani delegation made the remarks in a statement in response to the OSCE Chairperson-inOffice, Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano at the organization’s special permanent council meeting in Vienna on January 11.

The Azerbaijani mission noted that the country highly values the willingness of Italy to take the responsibility of chairing the organization at this challenging period.

“We extend our full support to its open, transparent and inclusive approach based on joint ownership of all participating states. Our Italian colleagues can count on active and constructive engagement of the Azerbaijani Delegation in implementing the Chairmanship’s agenda,” the delegation said.

The mission further stressed that Italy takes the helm of the chairmanship against the backdrop of erosion of rules-based European security order accompanied by increased complexity of threats and challenges.

“At this critical juncture, full adherence to the OSCE principles and commitments by all participating States is the prerequisite to restore the “Spirit of Helsinki” for building an effective pan-European cooperative and indivisible security system,” the delegation said.

It further noted that the existing conflicts deprive millions of people of their basic human rights and fundamental freedoms: “Their plight can be effectively addressed only through restoration of justice and rule of law on the basis of full respect for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of internationally recognized borders of states affected by the conflicts.”

Double standards applied by some states impair the efforts to achieve peaceful solution of the conflicts, the mission said, adding that Azerbaijan supports the intention of the Italian Chairmanship to promote meaningful dialogue on matters related to the politico-military dimension.

For that aim, the delegation added, the Structured Dialogue needs to be continued in line with its mandate identified in the Hamburg Declaration avoiding any premature narrowing of its scope.

“In this context, we encourage the Italian Chairmanship to ensure that risks and challenges emanating from existing conflicts are adequately taken into account in designing the Structured Dialogue process in 2018,” the Azerbaijani mission noted.

Azerbaijan has been suffering from the occupation of 20 percent of its territory by Armenia for more than 20 years. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between the two countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions.

Until now, Armenia controls fifth part of Azerbaijan’s territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from NagornoKarabakh and surrounding districts. The peace negotiations led by the OSCE Minsk Group have not yielded results so far.

Addressing the OSCE Permanent Council, the Chairperson-in-Office, Italy's Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said that Italy will continue to support the work of the OSCE Minsk Group to find a definitive solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

In its statement, the Azerbaijani delegation also welcomed the intention of the Italian Chairmanship to focus on such topics as development of human capital, promotion of good governance and digital economy, which are also among the priorities of the Azerbaijani government.

“We strongly support the focus of the Italian Chairmanship on countering all forms of racism, xenophobia, intolerance and discrimination including those based on religious grounds,” the mission said.

Azerbaijan, as a strong proponent of multiculturalism and intercultural dialogue, remains ready to support Chairmanship’s initiatives in this regard, the delegation concluded.