Inaugural meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) Sintra, Portugal 30 May 1997

Statement by H.E. Mr. Hassan Hassanov Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, Allow me, first of all, to thank the organizers of this meeting for the excellent work they have done thanks to which we can discuss problems of mutual interest in the atmosphere of confidence and good will. Integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures The realities evolved at the end of the twentieth century clearly show the necessity to further embark on the way of development and deepening of interaction between states with the aim of enhancing their cooperation both at bilateral and multilateral levels. This is especially important for the countries which due to the well-known reasons until recently stood apart from these process. The Republic of Azerbaijan regards the integration into European and Euro-Atlantic political and economic structures as well as security system as one of the basic directions of its foreign policy. Participation of Azerbaijan in the PfP Programme, conclusion of the Agreement on partnership and cooperation with EU, active cooperation in the framework of the Council of Europe on the adaptation of the national law to European standards are the first steps on the way of its integration and close interaction with European and Transatlantic partners. Azerbaijan and Euro-Atlantic structures Azerbaijan fully supports NATO plans to enhance PfP and to narrow the distance between partnership and membership. In this regard we welcome the creation of the Atlantic Partnership Council as a single mechanism of cooperation. Meanwhile, we think that it should retain positive elements of NACC and PfP and take into account concerns with regard to various issues taken up within these structures. PfP without any doubts takes a special place within the process of providing the all-European security but in some specific cases we call upon NATO countries to reach a new line of advanced partnership with the states that have special justified concerns which could be arranged in the form of separate agreements between NATO and these countries, located in the sensitive areas. This measure could serve more than one goal not only addressing concerns of the buffer states but also giving NATO the possibility to reach a new line of partnership with the states that are not its members. Seeking deepening of cooperation with NATO, Azerbaijan on more than one occasion has expressed its interest in the soonest resolution of the issue of opening a NATO information office in Baku. Azerbaijan considers the CFE Treaty in integral connection to all-European processes in the sphere of security including NATO enlargement. CFE Treaty and Flank agreement As it is known, Azerbaijan on May 15, 1997 decided to accede to the CFE Flank Document. However, the Republic of Azerbaijan approved the "Document agreed among the states parties to the Treaty on Conventional armed forces in Europe of 1990" with the following necessary conditions : The document shall not be construed as providing any legal justification for the holding any of treaty limited equipment (TLE) belonging to the Russian Federation on the territory of the other states parties to the treaty comprised within the flank region as well as it shell not be construed as granting conferring upon the Russian Federation the right to hold its TLEs on the territory of these states parties to the treaty without freely expressed and duly legalized consent thereto of the receiving state party. Application of this Document should not lead to any violation of the Tashkent Agreement on Principles and Procedures for the implementation of the CFE Treaty of May 15 1992. While implementing the Document one shall take into consideration that the Warsaw Treaty of 1955 does not exist. While implementing the Document one shall take into consideration that the Republic of Azerbaijan does not belong to any of the Groups of States provided for in the Treaty. The provisions of the Document related to the deployment of the TLEs of the Russian Federation in the territory of the other States Parties in the flank zone do not apply to the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Any presence of any foreign troops on the territory of Azerbaijan is inadmissible without its will and freely expressed and duly legalized consent thereto of the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The States parties shall implement joint measures to remove any uncontrolled and uncounted TLE located on the territory of the States Parties comprised in the flank region, in particular on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and to prevent any illegal deliveries or movements of TLE in this region. The validity of the document following its entry into force shall lapse as soon as the CFE Treaty enters into force in its adopted form. The provisions of the CFE Treaty related to the flank area and the problems associated with them shall be considered within the framework and in the context of the treaty adaptation process in view of the fact that the flank region and the limitations established for it are integral part of the previous zonal-group structure which is no longer in keeping with the contemporary geopolitical realities. The Republic of Azerbaijan will regard the CFE Flank Agreement proceeding from above mentioned necessary conditions. We highly appreciate the Joint Statement by the Governments of the United States and my country, in connection with the concerns of Azerbaijan, made in Washington, Baku and Vienna in the JCG on May 15, 1997 and count on continuation of consultations and cooperation in this issue. Comprehensive security model for Europe in the 21st century In December 1996 Heads of State and Government at the Lisbon summit approved Declaration on the comprehensive security model for Europe in the 21st century. I would like to dwell in more details on our vision of the European security model in the next century : Security model is to be considered as "modus operandi" for states within the framework of OSCE, not as a new structure; Security in Europe must be provided on the basis of enhancement of existing OSCE principles and use of tools and means already available. Creating new structures or turning OSCE into umbrella construction with regional organizations included into it is counterproductive. Transfer of international activity of the states of OSCE region exclusively into the field of cooperation between regional organizations will end in undesirable political consequences. Concept of "division of labour" looks very doubtful as far as regional organizations are concerned. Under this plausible mask the intention to carry on geographical division of transatlantic region into zones and spheres of influence can hide. This will inevitably lead to confrontation and therefore is inadmissible. States can cooperate on the individual basis, as well as within the framework of regional organizations. But regional organizations can not and must not overshadow sovereign states and restrict their rights. Cooperation of OSCE with any regional institution must be a subject for separate consideration in every specific case based on the decision on cooperation taken by consensus in the OSCE as well as in that specific institution. Delegating peacekeeping mandate by the OSCE to an institution is unacceptable. OSCE should use itself, as an organization, its potential in this field, provisions of the 1992 CSCE Summit (Helsinki document, Chapter III, paragraphs) can be used if necessary. Settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the creation of the unified space of security where the interests of all states would be taken in account on an equal basis. However, local conflicts still remain a serious obstacle on the way of this process. One of the most enduring conflicts in the modern Europe is the aggression of the Republic of Armenia against the Republic of Azerbaijan that has resulted in occupation of more than twenty percent of the territory of Azerbaijan, bloody ethnic cleansing have been carried out on the occupied territories and about one million of Azeris have become refugees and displaced persons. The international community makes its efforts to settle this conflict. As you are very well aware, at the Lisbon summit last December the main principles of the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict were enunciated which were supported by all OSCE states, except the Republic of Armenia. The adopted principles does not contain any norms or provisions which go beyond commonly recognized norms and principles of the international law. At the same time the Republic of Armenia in violation of the UN Charter and basic principles of the OSCE refuses to recognize the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan pursuing a goal, under the cover of slogan of the right for self-determination, to decide status of Nagorno-Karabakh through proclaiming a second Armenian independent state with its subsequent unification with Armenia. They stand for granting the security guarantees only to Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh without taking into account Azerbaijani population at present totally ousted from the places of their permanent residence. Moreover, the Armenian party in negotiations is trying to fully deprive 50 thousand Azeris of the right to return to the localities in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Republic of Azerbaijan constantly and at all levels have reiterated its commitment to the peaceful settlement of the conflict in the framework of the OSCE Minsk process, repeatedly stated that it will observe the cease-fire regime that have been held already for three years until the political agreement on cessation of the conflict is concluded. However, the recent development of the situation in the region arouses serious concern in Azerbaijan. This relates first of all to the violation of the cease-fire regime on the Armenian- Azerbaijani border and the facts disclosed in the State Duma of the Russian Federation on illegal and unauthorized deliveries of Russian weaponry to the Republic of Armenia, in particular 84 T-72 tanks, 50 BMP and spare parts, a huge amount of missiles R-17, Air Defence Systems "Krug" and "Osa", MLRS "Grad", PADS "Igla" and many others worth 1 billion US dollars. These facts testify not only to the violation by the Republic of Armenia of the CFE Treaty but about the wish of the Armenian leadership to embark upon building up its military potential. The Republic of Azerbaijan with satisfaction received the Decree of State Duma "On measures on observance of the law of the Russian Federation on weapons deliveries to foreign states". We hope that the Russian authorities will undertake all measures to prevent such facts from happening in the future to identify and punish officials involved in the illegal deliveries of the Russian weaponry to Armenia and do all necessary to return these weapons to Russia. The US Senate during ratification of the CFE Flank Document has also adopted a special resolution in which it expressed its attitude towards that problem. The resolution says that the executive power should provide information if the Republic of Armenia allowing transit of weapons for the separatist movement in Azerbaijan has violated the provisions of this Treaty. The report also is to answer the question if other states-Parties to the CFE Treaty located in the Caucasian region are implementing Treaty provisions. In case it is acknowledged that Armenia or any other state in the region have violated or are violating the CFE Treaty an issue of imposing sanctions provided for by the US legislation would be taken up. In conclusion, I would like to especially emphasize that Azerbaijan sticks to soonest achievement of peace in the whole territory of the Caucasus region based upon close multilateral cooperation of all states, first of all, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and Russia. This would be a substantial contribution to creating the comprehensive security model for Europe in the 21st century, building common society based on principles of the rule of law, political pluralism and respect for human rights irrespective of any distinction. Thank you.