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Statement
by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Baku,
7 August, 2002)
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Statement by the Ministry
of Foreign Affaires of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Baku, August 7, 2002.
According
to media reports, so-called "presidential elections" are planned for 11
August this year in the Nagorny Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan
occupied by the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia.
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan states in this
regard that conducting the so-called "elections" under conditions of ongoing
occupation and full ethnic cleansing of the Nagorny Karabakh region of
Azerbaijan is a gross violation of the legislation of the Republic of
Azerbaijan and generally-recognized norms and principles of international
law.
The
Ministry believes that it is important to stress that in compliance with
international law, the territory of the state cannot be subjected to military
occupation and no territorial acquisitions resulting from threats to use
force and its use should be recognized as legal. The UN Security Council
condemned the occupation of the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan
in its resolutions No.822 dated 30 April 1993, No.853 dated 29 July 1993,
No.874 dated 14 October 1993 and No.884 dated 12 November 1993, confirmed
its respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability
of the borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan and inadmissibility of the
use of force to acquire territories. The Security Council also demanded
the immediate, full and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces
from Azerbaijan's occupied territories. The separatist regime set up on
these territories is illegal and entity proclaimed by it cannot be regarded
as a state in accordance with international law. The Republic of Azerbaijan
does not recognize the results of such "elections", decisively rejects
any actions directed at consolidating the results of the aggression, which
violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan
and undermine efforts to peacefully settle the conflict.
The
Republic of Azerbaijan proceeds from the fact that the establishment of
legitimate bodies of power in the Nagorny Karabakh region is possible
only after the liberation of the occupied territories, restoration of
the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan
and return of the Azerbaijani population to their homes.
The Ministry calls on international organizations and states, including
the member-states and Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, to resolutely
condemn the illegal action in the occupied Nagorny Karabakh region of
Azerbaijan scheduled for 11 August this year and use all available means
and influence to prevent this from taking place.
The
Ministry is entitled to state that conducting of the so-called "presidential
elections" in the occupied Nagorny Karabakh region of the Republic of
Azerbaijan is illegal and any results of this action are regarded as invalid
from the beginning and carry no political or legal weight. With this,
all responsibility for the consequences of such non-constructive and provocative
actions fully and totally rests with the Republic of Armenia and the illegal
puppet regime created by it on the occupied Azerbaijani territories.
Baku,
7 August 2002
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