Mr. Chair,

Distinguished Ambassadors,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am pleased to have the opportunity to address the OSCE Permanent Council today.

The overall security environment in the OSCE region remains tense and complex in light of persisting threats and challenges to peace and stability. Trust and confidence among participating States continue to erode, while rivalry among politico-military blocks keeps exacerbating, having a detrimental impact on multilateralism, including on the work of the OSCE. The security of States as well as the harmony and cohesion of our societies are under attack amidst rising ethnic and religious intolerance and discrimination. All these developments undermine comprehensive and cooperative security and put at risk the indivisibility of security underpinned in fundamental OSCE documents.

The OSCE principles and commitments starting from the respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of the borders of OSCE participating States, enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act and reaffirmed in subsequent OSCE documents and decisions, must remain the bedrock of peace and security and must be applied equally and unreservedly without geographic preferences and double standards.

Our continued active engagement within the OSCE is testimony to our commitment to contribute to peace, security, and stability in the OSCE region. As a non-block and non-aligned country, Azerbaijan has always regarded the OSCE as a major pillar of the pan-European security architecture based on the fundamental principles guiding inter-State relations.

The OSCE is a common asset of all 57 participating States. The Organization’s toolbox developed within the context of the concept of comprehensive and cooperative security and experience gained on the way can be useful and effective, provided that they are tailored to the specific needs of participating States upon their request, and there is consent and active support for their application by the states concerned.

Azerbaijan is a strong proponent of effective multilateralism, including through the OSCE, and is interested in cooperation within the OSCE and its institutions on the basis of its needs and priorities. We believe that the Organization still holds significant comparative advantages based on its unique concept of comprehensive security, broad membership, and consensus-rule decision-making. Yet, at the current juncture, the Organization cannot boast the ability, political will, and institutional capacity to ensure that it effectively responds to numerous risks and challenges to our security and stability.

The Organization must be flexible, agile enough to adapt to this rapidly evolving environment to remain relevant. Only cooperative solutions can yield results. Sticking to old narratives and assumptions is of no use and will only drag the Organization behind. This is the only way the organization can emerge more mature and stronger. Creative solutions within the framework of our collectively agreed documents and decisions that take into account the realities within and outside of our Organization are needed.

We agree that at this critical juncture, the organization should be given the resources it needs to effectively respond to challenges. To this end, we support the early adoption of the budget that would allocate scarce resources to the relevant structures of the organization where they are needed most. Dysfunctional, obsolete structures need to be phased out. Also, we support the extension of the mandates of Secretary General Helga Schmid and the heads of all three Institutions.

The OSCE’s comprehensive concept of security by definition requires ensuring balance across all three dimensions, which should be reflected in the programmatic activities of the executive structures. This is why we are advocating for strengthening the second dimension, economic and environmental cooperation, in particular in such areas as promoting connectivity through transport and trade facilitation, climate change, and environmental rehabilitation, which have untapped potential and can bridge the divide in these challenging times. But, this should not come at the expense of other, equally important and interrelated dimensions.

The organization’s comprehensive concept of security and developed toolbox requires paying equal attention to all phases of the conflict cycle, including post-conflict rehabilitation.

Dear Permanent Representatives,

Although the ongoing normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia is pursued bilaterally outside of the context of OSCE, I would like to share with the Permanent Council our views and assessment of the current stage of bilateral negotiations, since peace and stability in the South Caucasus will definitely contribute to the security across the OSCE region and will positively contribute to the work within the Organization.

With the end of almost three-decade-lasted armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan and commitment by both States to mutually respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and inviolability of their borders, peace is within reach for the first time since the two countries regained their independence.

Since the end of armed conflict under the Trilateral Statement of 10 November 2020, Azerbaijan has been actively working to secure a lasting peace with Armenia, despite the long years of suffering, deprivation, and devastation that the people of Azerbaijan were subjected to as a result of the 30-year long military occupation. The end of the conflict offers an opportunity and real prospects for building peace, consolidating stability, ensuring peaceful coexistence, advancing the reconciliation agenda, and investing in economic development and cooperation.

With this understanding, Azerbaijan has offered post-conflict normalization agenda to Armenia. Both sides are engaged in negotiating the text of a bilateral agreement that will form the framework of inter-state relations based on the mutual recognition of and respect for each other’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inviolability of state borders. The talks held, over the last few weeks, in Washington DC, Brussels, Moscow, and Chisinau served for the sides to better understand their core concerns and helped narrow the differences with respect to some issues. Azerbaijan remains committed to pursuing the normalization agenda and expects the reciprocal political will from the Armenian side to address remaining differences on three specific tracks forming the agenda of bilateral discussions, namely, the soonest conclusion of an agreement establishing inter-state relations; the delimitation of the State border; and the opening of transport communications in the region.

The declared recognition by Armenia of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, including the Garabagh region, provides a ground for cautious optimism. Yet, as always, deeds speak louder than words. The declarations of the Armenian leadership have to be reflected in the actual behavior of this country to eventually achieve a breakthrough.

In this context, the continued illegal military presence of Armenia in the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan, consistent interference with our internal affairs, obstruction of the dialogue between the central Azerbaijani authorities and local residents of the Garabagh region of Armenian origin, and wide-scale smear campaign being pursued internationally, including within the OSCE, contradict to this declared commitment, and instead, constitute the major impediment for the negotiations on inter-state normalization between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Excellences,

Along with the inter-state process of normalization, Azerbaijan has, internally, embarked on large-scale post-conflict rehabilitation, reconstruction, and reintegration efforts to eliminate the harsh consequences of the thirty-year-long military occupation of our territories. This aims at ensuring the right of hundred of thousands of Azerbaijanis to eventually exercise their violated right to safe and dignified return to their homes and peaceful coexistence of the conflict-affected citizens of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is determined to reintegrate ethnic Armenian residents of the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan into the political, legal, economic, and social framework of Azerbaijan as equal citizens. The Government has appointed a Special Representative for the dialogue with local Armenian residents with a view to discussing issues pertinent to their reintegration. The Constitution and the national legislation of Azerbaijan, along with the international documents that we are party to, in particular, the European Convention of Human Rights and the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities provide the solid ground to this end.

The rule of law and equal protection under the law for all is at the core of the OSCE’s comprehensive concept of security.  Human rights must be treated in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing, and with the same emphasis. As the OSCE Copenhagen Document stipulates, measures concerning the protection of persons belonging to national minorities should be in conformity with the principles of equality and non-discrimination with respect to the other citizens of the participating State concerned.

It is equally imperative for all States to strictly adhere to their obligations and commitments regarding non-interference with the internal affairs of States, not undermining the integration of persons belonging to national minorities or fueling separatism in the territory of neighboring states. Protection of human rights of persons belonging to national minorities should not undermine, but strengthen territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.

Thanks to the tireless efforts taken by the Government, the first group of displaced families have already returned to the Aghali village in the Zangilan district, the Talish village of the Tartar district, and the Lachin city of Azerbaijan.

However, the massive contamination of territories of Azerbaijan with landmines and other explosives is the major impediment and poses a serious humanitarian threat. Indiscriminately planted mines continue to take lives almost on a daily basis.

Refusal of Armenia to share all maps of mined areas and the continued planting of mines, and installation of booby traps, and other explosives even after the declaration of cessation of all military activities further aggravates the situation and increases the humanitarian toll. Since the signing of the trilateral statement in 2020, 302 individuals have fallen victim to landmines. This also includes mines transferred to the territory of Azerbaijan and planted therein after the signing of the Trilateral Statement of 10 November 2020.

In order to tackle this humanitarian threat for enabling the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of IDPs, the Government of Azerbaijan has set mine action as one of its national priorities and is also setting a particular national Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on demining. Furthermore, Azerbaijan promotes establishing a new global SDG on humanitarian demining.

Given the ongoing landmine problem in Azerbaijan and the challenges faced by national agencies in addressing it, there is an urgent need for increased international support to strengthen Azerbaijan's humanitarian mine action capacity. Such support would not only aid in demining efforts but also contribute to the global campaign against landmines and demonstrate a commitment to peace and cooperation in the region.

Distinguished Ambassadors,

As we embarked on healing the wounds of the past conflict, ensuring justice with respect to serious war crimes and crimes against humanity is of vital importance. In this regard, it is of paramount importance to shed light on the fate of about 4000 Azerbaijanis who went missing due to the conflict. Regretfully, our consistent calls on Armenia to honor its obligations under humanitarian and human rights law to disclose information on the whereabouts of missing persons continue to be disregarded. 

Instead, we face a continuation of hatred and intolerance that undermines confidence and trust building. The case of the two Azerbaijani servicemen is a clear manifestation of that. Instead of taking action to properly investigate the torture and degrading treatment against the two Azerbaijani nationals and bring the perpetrators to justice, the Government of Armenia refuses to repatriate them under fabricated accusations.

While remaining committed to its international obligations and open to constructive dialogue, Azerbaijan will not tolerate violations of international law and continue taking appropriate steps at the international level. In particular, Azerbaijan has initiated judicial proceedings to hold Armenia to account for its egregious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law and to prosecute and punish the perpetrators of atrocity crimes, which are not subject to any statutory limitations. While accountability and redress serve to ensure the rights and interests of the victims and must be the inevitable consequence of the offenses committed, they are also an essential preventive tool and one of the key prerequisites on the path to genuine post-conflict normalization and reconciliation.

Azerbaijan genuinely believes that the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia based on mutual recognition of and respect for each other's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international borders is the only way to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region.

We are determined and resolute to take forward the normalization agenda through direct bilateral negotiations. In this endeavor, we also rely on impartial and unbiased support and facilitation of our international partners pursuing the goal of a peaceful and prosperous South Caucasus.  

Thank you.