18 March 2023 08:51

On 16-17 March 2023, the 49th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was held in Nouakchott, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.

The Republic of Azerbaijan was represented at the session by the delegation headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Fariz Rzayev.

Speaking within the framework of the session, Deputy Minister F. Rzayev extended his condolences in connection with the devastating earthquake that occurred in the territories of Türkiye and Syria and resulted in numerous casualties. Referring also to the floods that occurred in Pakistan and Chad, the Deputy Minister stated that Azerbaijan is ready to support the efforts of the OIC towards overcoming these crisis situations.

F. Rzayev provided detailed information on the normalization process in the period after the end of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and Armenia’s provocative steps hindering it, as well as mine threats. The Deputy Minister informed the meeting participants about the initiatives of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, dedicated to post-COVID-19 recovery issues.

During the speech, information was also provided on the international conference on “Islamophobia as a specific form of racism and discrimination: New global and transnational challenges,” organized in Baku by the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre (BIMC), the Center of Analysis of International Relations and the G20 Interfaith Dialogue Forum on the occasion of the first anniversary of the declaration by the UN General Assembly of 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

At the end of the Council of Ministers, 5 resolutions put forward at the initiative of our country were adopted.

The resolutions entitled “Elimination of the consequences of the aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan,” “Support for economic and social development activities in the liberated territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan” and “Destruction and desecration of historical and cultural monuments and traces belonging to Islam in the territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a result of the aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan” strongly condemn the policy of occupation and aggression committed by Armenia against Azerbaijan for nearly 30 years and express support for the Government and people of Azerbaijan towards eliminating the severe consequences of the occupation, as well as in restoration and rereconstruction works.

The resolution entitled “Solidarity with the victims of the 1992 Khojaly genocide” condemns the mass killing committed against the Azerbaijani civilian population in Khojaly on 26 February 1992, calls on the world community to recognize this massacre as genocide, a crime against humanity and a war crime, and expresses support for the “Justice for Khojaly” public campaign.

The resolution entitled “Attack against the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Tehran,” adopted by the Council of Ministers of the OIC, which includes 57 countries, strongly condemns the deadly armed attack committed against the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Tehran on 27 January 2023, calls on the Government of Iran to comprehensively investigate the attack, bring the perpetrators of the attack to criminal responsibility and ensure the protection of the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Azerbaijan located in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran in accordance with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The resolution also welcomes the statements of the OIC Secretariat and OIC Member States condemning the attack against the Embassy.