Novruz Mammadov: “OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries should clarify their positions”

“Even putting the resolution on Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan to the vote in the UN General Assembly is an important issue for Azerbaijan” said Novruz Mammadov, head of foreign relations department of the President’s Office in an exclusive interview with APA.

He called the resolution an important document.

"UN General Assembly reaffirmed and supported the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, recognized the fact of occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories and demanded Armenia to withdraw its armed forces from the Azerbaijani lands immediately. This resolution has an important political and legal significance. It passed a decision based on the previous resolutions of the UN Security Council and decisions of other international organizations and especially underlined that territorial integrity of Azerbaijan should be restored within the norms and principles of international law. Meanwhile, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries should clarify their positions. They have to make it clear why leaders of those countries periodically state that they recognize the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, but when this issue comes to agenda their representatives to UN take different positions. Voting on the resolution gives a chance to Azerbaijan to make differences between friends and foes. I think there is no need to hurry. It is principal that Azerbaijan took successful a diplomatic step and achieved the adoption of necessary resolution”.

N. Mammadov said 39 countries voted in favor of the resolution: ”Support of 39 countries for this resolution confirmed Armenian isolation in this issue, Angola and Vanuatu supported Armenia. US, France and Russia should have their own reasons, but their contrary position toward the resolution is frustrating. They forced us to think about whether representatives of these countries are really trying for the fair resolution of the conflict or not”.

/APA/