YouSaid · the spoken record

Edward Nalbandyan

lines on the record: 55
first: 2009-09-24
most recent: 2013-09-24
sittings or episodes: 4
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“In that regard, we support the United Nations reform process and are ready to contribute to it. We believe that the reforms provide an opportunity to enhance the role of the Organization in addressing the crucial issues facing the world.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In May 2013, Armenia assumed the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, a regional organization that is a key partner of the United Nations in our shared global quest to advance the principles of fundamental freedoms, the defence and promotion of human rights and the continuous efforts for peace and security. Cooperation between the two organizations is also well established in the fight against racism, xenophobia, hate speech and intolerance. Those issues are also among the priorities established during Armenia’s chairmanship, elaborated in response to the challenges that Member States of both the United Nations and the Council of Europe are facing today. Armenia is committed to strengthening the institutional capacities of the United Nations.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The recognition, condemnation and prevention of genocide remain a priority for Armenia, and we will take the necessary actions to prevent new occurrences of the crime of genocide, while keeping the issue of responsibility for crimes against humanity and the denial thereof high on its agenda. As the nation that survived the first genocide of the twentieth century, Armenia unequivocally welcomes the clear position adopted by the States Members of the United Nations that precludes any possibility of immunity or pardon for perpetrators of crimes against humanity.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Notwithstanding Azerbaijan’s destructive stance, Armenia will continue to make efforts towards the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict exclusively through peaceful means and on the basis of the purposes and principles and norms set forth in the United Nations Charter and the provisions of the statements made by the Presidents of the three co-Chair countries’ at L’Aquila, Muskoka, Deauville, Los Cabos and Enniskillen. In March, the Human Rights Council adopted by consensus a resolution initiated by Armenia and co-sponsored by over 60 countries on the prevention of genocide.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Most recently, Azerbaijani authorities at the national level have ostracized the eminent Azerbaijani writer Akram Aylisli for publishing a novel in which he talks about the pogroms against Armenians in Baku, Sumgait and other parts of Azerbaijan. Aylisli’s books were publicly burned, and the writer had to leave the country after receiving death threats. Just last week the Azerbaijani leadership once again came up with new threats against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh and made claims to Armenian territories, including its nearly 3,000-year-old capital city, Yerevan.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“At the previous session of the General Assembly (see A/67/PV.19), I spoke about the Azerbaijani leadership’s release and glorification of an axe-murderer named Ramil Safarov, which was strongly condemned by the entire international community and by the human rights commissions of the United Nations and other international organizations. Even today, more than a year after Safarov’s release, the Azerbaijani leadership continues to declare that what they did is just and right and dares to criticize the stance of the international community. That clearly demonstrates the deepening gap between the Azerbaijani leadership and the international community in terms of perceptions of what is good and what is bad.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Baku has rejected all versions of the Basic Principles of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict proposed by the co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, including those presented at the Kazan, Sochi, Astrakhan and Saint Petersburg summits. Baku refuses not only the Basic Principles, but also the confidence-building measures proposed by the co-Chairs on consolidation of the ceasefire, withdrawal of the snipers from the line of contact and the establishment of a mechanism for investigating ceasefire violations. Azerbaijan not only obstructs confidence-building measures, but also periodically organizes provocations on the line of contact with Nagorno Karabakh and on the border with Armenia, which has resulted in new casualties.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Azerbaijan has not only failed to comply with the latter requirement, but further intensified its aggression and the military operations against Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia using mercenaries closely linked to notorious terrorist organizations. It is not surprising that since the ceasefire agreement was signed in 1994, the mediators, the three permanent members of the Security Council, have never made another reference to those resolutions. Azerbaijan is acting as if the international community shared its approach and as if it shared the approach of the international community. In reality, Azerbaijan continuously rejects all proposals of the internationally mandated OSCE Minsk Group co-Chair countries.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Unlike Azerbaijan, Armenia has on several occasions reiterated its commitment to the principles of international law and, in response to the Enniskillen appeal of the Presidents of the United States, the Russian Federation and France, once again reaffirmed that commitment, particularly with respect to the non-use of force or the threat of force, equal rights and the self- determination of peoples and territorial integrity. Azerbaijan keeps misinterpreting the 1993 resolutions of the Security Council — resolutions 822 (1993), 853 (1993), 874 (1993) and 884 (1993) — the core requirement of which was the immediate cessation of all hostilities and hostile acts and the establishment of a durable ceasefire.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We absolutely agree that peoples should be prepared for peace, not war. Unfortunately, to date the Azerbaijani leadership has been doing just the opposite, increasing warmongering and anti-Armenian hate speech on a daily basis, even using the lofty rostrum of the United Nations for its purposes. We absolutely agree with the Heads of the three co-Chair countries — which are also three permanent members of the Security Council — that the use of force will not resolve the conflict and that only a negotiated settlement can lead to peace and stability. However, through its unprecedented accumulation of offensive weaponry at a massive scale, Azerbaijan seriously endangers regional and international security, despite its membership in the Security Council.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Three months ago, on 18 June the Presidents of the three co-Chair countries of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) — Russia, United States and France — made a new statement on Nagorno Karabakh in the framework of the Group of Eight Summit in Enniskillen. In Armenia, we welcomed that statement and affirmed that, like the co-Chairs, we continued to believe that the elements outlined in the statements of the Heads of State of the co-Chair countries over the past five years can form the basis for reaching a fair and lasting settlement of the conflict. We share the position of the co-Chair countries that those elements should be seen as an integrated whole and that any attempt to select some elements over others would make it impossible to achieve a solution.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Armenia welcomes the unanimous adoption yesterday of Security Council resolution 2118 (2013), based on the agreement reached in Geneva between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and United States Secretary of State Kerry. The resolution could lead to the elimination of chemical weapons and the exclusion of their use in Syria and pave the way for a political solution of the Syrian crisis, putting an end to the suffering of the Syrian people. It is our strong belief that there is no alternative to the peaceful solution of conflicts. The resolution of conflicts requires political will and determination.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“(spoke in English) Despite the fact that most of us share the understanding that the elimination of violence and terror is essential for building peaceful, sustainable and prosperous societies, peace seems to remain an elusive phenomenon in many parts of the world. Armenia remains alarmed by the worsening of the humanitarian situation in Syria. The number of refugees Armenia continues to receive already exceeds 10,000, but tens of thousands of Syrian-Armenians remain in Syria, a country that had become their second home after the genocide of 1915, and they are struggling for their survival in unbearable conditions together with their fellow Syrians.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“However, they brought to light some of the underlying issues that had either been overlooked or underestimated and which turned out to be important for the overall success. We are all aware that, in the context of interdependence and the growing interconnectedness of the world economy, no country can achieve the Millennium Development Goals in isolation. The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development enriched our understanding of the ways of achieving the overall progress towards the political, social and economic development. Armenia welcomes the inclusion of “The post-2015 development agenda: setting the stage” as the main theme of our deliberations in the current session.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“I would like to join previous speakers in congratulating Mr. John William Ashe on his election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session and to thank the outgoing President, Mr. Vuk Jeremi.. During the past two decades, the international community has made great strides towards the development of a cohesive approach aimed at addressing the political, social and economic challenges that the international community is facing today. We need to analyse our commitments, keeping in mind the difficulties that we have encountered while implementing the Millennium Development Goals. The world economic and financial crises are partially responsible for our straying from the charted path.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“As descendants of the nation that survived the horrors of the first genocide of the twentieth century, we are convinced that the international community must stand together — independent of any kind of considerations — in the recognition and strong condemnation of genocide, so as to be able to prevent it from occurring. In the absence of such unanimity, humankind will witness new attempts at crimes against humanity. Our strong conviction is that we should keep the issue high on our common agenda. We should recommit to a world where the crime of genocide can never occur again. Armenia gladly assumes its share of our common responsibility to support the United Nations as a platform for dialogue, multilateralism and collective action in addressing the multiple challenges of today’s world.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Today, they are struggling for life, as are many Syrian citizens. Armenia continues to receive refugees from Syria; those refugees are full of worries about the escalation of violence in that country. It is impossible to reach a durable settlement without the cessation of hostilities by all parties and without an inclusive political dialogue that takes into account the interests of all Syrians. Next year, the United Nations will mark the sixty- fifth anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. That anniversary will become an important landmark and occasion on which to create a more effective instrument for combatting the crimes of genocide. The denial of genocide and impunity pave the way for the repetition of new crimes against humanity.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Despite the intensive efforts of the three Co-Chair countries of the OSCE, it has been impossible to reach a breakthrough, because the Azerbaijani side has rejected, one after another, all of the proposals presented by the mediators. Despite Azerbaijan’s destructive stance, Armenia will continue to work towards the settlement of the Karabakh issue exclusively through peaceful means and on the basis of the purposes, principles and norms reflected in the Charter and international law. Like many other speakers, I wish to express our concerns about the developments and worsening of the humanitarian situation in Syria, which also directly affects the large Armenian community in that country. That community was formed mainly by the survivors of the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the twentieth century.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The documents on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict adopted within the framework of the OSCE Astana Summit in 2010; the OSCE Ministerial Conferences of Helsinki in 2008, Athens in 2009, Ahnaty in 2010 and Vilnius in 2011; the statements of Presidents of the Co-Chair countries within the framework of the Group of Eight Summits in l’Aquila in 2009, in Muskoka in 2010, and in Deauville in 2011; and during the Group of 20 Summit in 2012 in Los Cabos serve as proof of that. The position of Armenia is in line with those documents, and it is in line with the position of the international community, namely, to accept the settlement on that basis.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“While Armenia and the international mediators have been working hard around the negotiation table, Azerbaijan has increased its military budget more than twenty-fold during the past few years, and boasts about it. While Armenia and the international community have been calling for the withdrawal of snipers from the line of contact, Azerbaijani leaders have been rejecting those calls and have opened sniper schools for young people. While Armenia has been calling for regional economic cooperation, which could become a tool for increasing confidence between the parties, Azerbaijani authorities have declared that, together with Turkey, they will continue the blockade until there are no more Armenians in Armenia. Armenia and the international community are speaking in one language regarding the Nagorno Karabakh issue.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Azerbaijan poses a threat to the security and stability in the region by constantly threatening to use force against Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia, along with the daily unprovoked warmongering by its leadership. It has not only rejected the proposals of the three co-Chair countries of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) group on the consolidation of the ceasefire agreement and on the creation of a mechanism of investigation of incidents along the line of contact but also systematically commits ceasefire violations, not only on the contact line between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan but also through provocations along the border with Armenia and ceaseless acts of vandalism against the Armenian historical and cultural heritage.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“That is deeply irresponsible and shameful behaviour, not only for a non-permanent member of the Security Council, but also a Member State of the United Nations. It is clear that the international community cannot tolerate the attempts of the Azerbaijani leadership to adjust international law to their own racist ideology. With a rich domestic experience in corruption, Baku is attempting to transfer that vice to inter-State relations, exploiting it as a tool in order to impose its own false perceptions on others. The international community cannot tolerate the attempts of Azerbaijan to replace the rule of law with the rule of oil. The scandalous situation regarding Safarov has seriously undermined the Nagorno Karabakh negotiation process and endangered the already fragile regional security and stability.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe warned that “to glorify and reward such a person f lies in the face of all accepted standards for human rights protection and rule of law”. The President of the European Parliament and the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe expressed concern about the abuse of the European legal instrument in question. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said on 7 September: “ethnically motivated hate crimes of this gravity should be deplored and properly punished — not publicly glorified by leaders and politicians”. It is very clear that there are different perceptions about international legal principles and laws, different perceptions in Azerbaijan and the rest of the world about what is good and what is bad.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The world’s reaction was unanimous and very clear in condemning what was done by Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, in granting him clemency. Azerbaijan continues to express bewilderment at the stance of the international community. What did they expect — that the international community would applaud the glorification of a heinous murderer? The Azerbaijani leadership continues to pretend that the act was in accordance not only with the Azerbaijani Constitution and legislation, but also with the norms and principles of international law and the relevant European conventions. The leadership of the country claims that what was done was very good. It is very sad indeed that the constitution and legislation of a country would permit making a hero of a murderer and paying such a brutal criminal a salary for the years he spent in prison.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Many international organizations on human rights have been alerted to f lagrant cases of xenophobia, racism, intolerance and violations of human rights in Azerbaijan, as well as about the policy of hatred against Armenians. What has been the Azerbaijani response? It not only ignores the expectations of the international community, but it constantly takes new steps that go against the values of the civilized world. The latest such case is the Azeri Government’s release and glorification of the murderer Mr. Ramil Safarov, who had slaughtered an Armenian officer in his sleep with an axe, during a NATO programme in Budapest, simply because he was Armenian. The Azerbaijani leadership made him a symbol of national pride and an example for young people to follow.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“A few days ago, on 14 September, within the framework of the United Nations, the first ever High- Level Forum on the Culture of Peace took place, calling for tolerance and seeking to build mutual understanding and respect. Unfortunately, today, hate and intolerance continue to spread in some parts of the world, and we have yet to dig into the root causes of such situations, to have the courage to openly ask difficult questions as to the reasons for them, and to face sometimes painful responses. Regrettably, we have witnessed intolerance and hatred in our part of the world, too. Year after year, Armenia has, from this rostrum, raised concerns about the militaristic rhetoric, blatant violation of international commitments and anti-Armenian hysteria being instilled into Azerbaijani society from the highest levels of its leadership.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We believe that the reforms are an opportunity to strengthen the role of the United Nations in solving the major issues facing our world and to achieve both the Millennium Development Goals and the sustainable development goals. We welcome the fact that the agenda of the sixty- seventh session, which encompasses the most pressing issues of our joint responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, proposes that the session focus on the settlement of disputes by peaceful means. In that context, we view the goals of disarmament and arms control as major elements of global and regional security systems. We must also shoulder the responsibility to work together to counter militaristic threats.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“I would like to join previous speakers in congratulating Mr. Vuk Jeremić on his election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session. I would also like to extend our thanks to the outgoing President, Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser. This session of the General Assembly is an invaluable opportunity to bring together Member States in order to examine the challenges facing humanity and to join efforts in effectively addressing those challenges and in achieving internationally agreed goals. We all know that when decisions are based on common understanding and agreement, their implementation and success are more likely. Armenia continues to be committed to strengthening the institutional capacities of the Organization. We support the United Nations reform processes and are ready to contribute to them.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Today, the world is evolving faster than ever. To meet security, political, economic, social, environmental and other challenges we simply have to put our efforts, resources, and political determination together to deal with them and move the international development agenda forward.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“It is encouraging that further discussions of the Secretary-General’s report on early warning, assessment and the responsibility to protect (A/64/864) are being held in the General Assembly. This will enable us come up with a formula that will allow us to act in a timely and coherent manner, utilizing all the United Nations system resources and capabilities for early warning, assessment and prevention of situations that could lead to genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity. To bolster United Nations capacity to deal with current challenges and those ahead, we need to increase our efforts to further the process of United Nations reform, making more efficient and effective use of existing resources, making the “One United Nations” policy work, and better utilizing regional capacities to complement our global actions.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Consequently, the Armenian-Turkish border continues to remain the only closed border in Europe. Good intentions must be proved in deeds, not just words. Armenia is ready to move forward when Turkey will 10-55109 30 once again be prepared to normalize relations without preconditions. While we are discussing all possible ways to create a more prosperous and safer world for our peoples, we would be remiss if we did not speak about the responsibility to protect. As a nation we survived the most heinous crime against humanity, genocide, 95 years ago. We attach the utmost importance to furthering all international efforts aimed at the prevention of genocide and crimes against humanity.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“A resolution at the sixteenth General Assembly of the International Council on Monuments and Sites stated regretfully with regard to this act of vandalism: “… this heritage that once enjoyed its worthy place among the treasures of the world’s heritage can no longer be transmitted today to future generations”. Armenia’s initiative for the normalization of relations with Turkey without any preconditions was fully supported by the international community. Last year, after intensive negotiations, we achieved agreement and finally signed the Armenian-Turkish protocols. We made a confident investment in a durable rapprochement, while Turkey, unfortunately, backtracked from its commitments and not only refrained from ratifying the signed protocols, but returned to its initial language of preconditions.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“In an era when the protection and promotion of human rights are considered essential in the civilized world, intolerance for the values of others and acts that intentionally, consistently and repeatedly damage or destroy the cultural or religious heritage of other civilizations must be condemned with the same resolve and determination as violence against people. The destruction by Azerbaijanis between 1998 and 2005 in Nakhichevan of thousands of cross-stones delicately carved by Armenian masters in the ninth to the sixteenth centuries is a vivid example of such a crime. Under the Azerbaijani Government’s watchful eye, thousands of these gigantic medieval sculptures were bulldozed and the area turned into a military zone in a Government-sanctioned operation.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Azerbaijan continues to reject proposals to come to an agreement on the non-use of force or threat of force, as well as calls for the consolidation of the ceasefire. Azerbaijan’s attitude thus represents a threat to regional peace and security. The money it derives from oil revenues is being directed at funding new military ventures. We all know the potential results of such adventurism. Azerbaijan should refrain from its continuing attempts to remove the settlement process from the Minsk Group format and framework and from making provocative and bellicose statements and actions, in order that the negotiation process may proceed more constructively and effectively.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Armenia fully shares this vision and will continue the negotiations on that basis in search of a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan rejects two of the three principles mentioned and is attempting not only to turn upside down the essence of the negotiation process, but also to distort the nature of the conflict in various international forums, including the General Assembly, as happened here about two weeks ago and again two days ago. That country is attempting to mislead the international community, presenting the consequences of the conflict as its causes. Azerbaijan’s unabated war rhetoric, growing violations of the ceasefire regime, and unprecedented military budget increases only exacerbate the situation, raising concerns about the already fragile stability in the region.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“The Nagorno-Karabakh peace process moves forward with the internationally mandated mediation of the Co-Chairs of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, who continue their persistent efforts aimed at the peaceful settlement of the conflict based on the fundamental principles of international law: the non-use of force or threat of force, the equal rights and self-determination of peoples and territorial integrity. On 17 July, at the margins of the OSCE informal ministerial meeting in Almaty, the Minsk Group Co-Chairs issued a statement in which they reiterated that the proposed principles and elements have been conceived as an integrated whole and that any attempt to select some of them over others would make it impossible to achieve a balanced solution.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“The advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice in July reaffirmed the wisdom of the founders of this Organization, who made sure that one of the fundamental principles for maintaining peace and stability in the world — the right of peoples to self- determination — could not be underrated in any way compared with the other principles of international law. Let us be realistic. One cannot say each and every time that this is the last self-determination case. No one is able to stop the progress of history; otherwise, there would not be 192 Member States in this Organization instead of 51, as there were at the time of its founding.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“They fought for their right to freedom, withstanding the brutal war unleashed by Azerbaijan, which had suppressed them for 70 years and attempted to cleanse them from their ancestral home. For that purpose, it even resorted to the use of mercenaries closely linked to international terrorist organizations. The people of Nagorno- Karabakh had to pursue their right to self- determination as they were being denied their right to existence. The right of peoples to self-determination is a fundamental and indispensable right enshrined in the 29 10-55109 Charter of the United Nations.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“How is it possible to maintain peace, security and stability when we keep raising defence spending and regularly threaten to use force and to start wars? How can we promote friendly and peaceful relations between peoples when we promote intolerance and hatred and impose blockades and closed borders? How can we assure the principle of the equal rights of peoples and their right to make their own decisions when we reject the fundamental principle of international law — the right of peoples to self- determination? I would like to hereby touch upon the conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh. The people of Nagorno-Karabakh exercised their right to self-determination two decades ago.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“The number of Members has almost quadrupled, major decisions have been made, historic documents have been adopted, old problems have given way to new, and the scope of responsibilities of the General Assembly has greatly increased as it has opened itself to new challenges in international security, non-proliferation, disarmament, respect for human rights, poverty, terrorism, global warming, the financial crisis and many other issues. In short, many things have changed, including the century. Nevertheless and despite the developments that have marked recent decades, the situation in the region where Armenia is situated prompts me to return to that day, 10 January 1946, which is so distant yet so close, given the objectives that were put forward then and which continue more than ever to underpin our actions.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Each year, the great family of nations comes together to assess what the Organization has achieved and to consider together ways to respond to the problems facing the world and to acknowledge what unites our nations and what still divides them. For 65 years, the General Assembly has carried out this both difficult and noble mission. That mission was summarized very well by the first speaker at the first session of the General Assembly, on 10 January 1946, as the maintenance of peace and security and the establishment, through cooperation, of those conditions of stability and well-being which will ensure peaceful and friendly relations, based on the principle of equal rights and self-determination among the nations of the world. Since then, the General Assembly has changed.”
2010-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 65 (2010)
“Only together can we successfully confront these challenges and push forward the international development agenda.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We trust that the necessary political will shall finally overcome the mentality of the past and that the wisdom and courage necessary to taking the last decisive steps will prevail. We have been most encouraged by the support of the international community. We are well aware of the fundamental and positive implications of the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and of the opening of the border for the security and stability of the region. We must reinforce the bridges between United Nations Member States, working out mutually beneficial and comprehensive security and cooperation plans. Our common objective should be the shaping of an environment that is safe and prosperous for all. To meet the political, economic, environmental and social challenges, we have to jointly muster our efforts, resources and political determination.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The region is devastated by conflicts and inter-State tensions, dividing lines and economic blockades. Closed borders and ruptured ties have become the norm of life. However, a courageous act and a courageous response hold the promise of changing the situation for the better. The process of the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations was begun in September by the President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan. That initiative on his part — known as football diplomacy — promises to bear fruit despite all difficulties. Over the past year, with the help of our Swiss mediators and other international partners, we have made progress towards opening our shared border, one of the last closed borders in Europe, and the normalization of our relations with no preconditions.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The right to self-determination is an unconditional clause of international law; it is a 09-52604 14 principle of liberty and of the freedom of any people to choose its future and fate, and to defend its collective rights whenever those rights and that future are jeopardized. If self-determination were a principle inferior to territorial integrity, there would have been only 52 Member States of the United Nations, instead of the current 192. Trust and accountability among neighbouring States are guarantees of sustainable cooperation and durable security in any region. We in the South Caucasus have yet to witness that. Our region, in fact, is among the most sensitive hot spots on the world’s political map, overloaded with a plethora of security threats and challenges.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The basic principles around which negotiations are currently being held are anchored in benchmark codes of international law as incorporated in the Charter of this Organization, the Helsinki Final Act and other relevant international documents. The international principles of the non-use and non-threat of use of force, of the self-determination of peoples and of territorial integrity are equally viable. Some have long attempted to downplay the importance of the notion of the self-determination of peoples as a second-rate principle in the system of international law and as inferior to that of territorial integrity. I have to disappoint the advocates of double standards.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We believe that there is a serious basis for the settlement of the Nagorny Karabakh problem if the provisions contained in the declaration signed by the Presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia in November 2008; the declaration of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group; and the declaration adopted by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of all 56 OSCE member States in Helsinki in December, are met. Pursuant to these documents, the parties must commit themselves to the peaceful settlement of the problem through negotiations based on the Madrid principles of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Azerbaijan consistently misrepresents the essence of the Nagorny Karabakh problem in the international arena, as it did two days ago in this forum, trying to downplay ethnic cleansing and its policy of violence against the people of Nagorny Karabakh. The international community will recall Azerbaijan’s open aggression, large-scale hostilities and war against Nagorny Karabakh, in which it was also aided by mercenaries closely linked to terrorist organizations. These events ultimately claimed lives of tens of thousands of civilians.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“It is totally unacceptable that threats to resolve disputes by military means are made at the highest level, and that they are left unchallenged by the international community. The Nagorny Karabakh peace process, which is mediated by the co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), is moving forward. The Presidents and Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Azerbaijan meet regularly to discuss the principles of a comprehensive resolution of the conflict. Armenia is convinced that, in order to create an opportunity for progress in the peaceful settlement of the Nagorny Karabakh conflict, the parties should commit to refraining from taking steps that could hamper dialogue and the peace process.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“The instigators propagate intolerance and hatred, preparing the ground for violence. As survivors of genocide, we Armenians welcome all efforts to prevent and combat racist and xenophobic attitudes. We have done and will continue to do all we can to provide for continuous advocacy in favour of the prevention of genocide. The international community must be vigilant to the development of such situations and events, and demonstrate its ability to act in a timely fashion to prevent future tragedies. We consider achieving the goals of disarmament and non-proliferation to be major elements of global and regional security systems. We must shoulder our responsibilities and work towards not only non-proliferation and the elimination of nuclear weapons, but also the elimination of the militaristic aspirations of some States.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)