Azerbaijan’s move to bring the resolution to UN is destructive: Edward Nalbandyan

Azerbaijan’s initiative to bring a resolution over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict at the upcoming UN General Assembly session is obviously a destructive step, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said at a meeting with students at the Yerevan State University on Tuesday.

“We think that Azerbaijan’s initiative to present that resolution to the UN General Assembly is a destructive step which can seriously affect the negotiation process,” said Mr Nalbandyan, asked to comment on the move.

In his words, most of the UN member states think that such issues must not be brought to the Gerneral Assembly but rather be discussed in the framework of already established and confirmed negotiations format.

“That was the very reason why a resolution presented by Azerbaijan in 2008 was backed only by 39 states out of 192, and most of those states were members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. None of the [UN] Security Council members voted in favor of the resolution, while the [OSCE] co-chair states voted against it,” said he, adding that by using the OIC Azerbaijan is abusing the islamic solidarity.

“Attempts to convey religious nature to such issues is very dangerous,” he added.

Asked what steps Armenia is taking to counter this initiative by Azerbaijan, Mr Nalbandyan said: “During our previous meeting I said that diplomacy is like an iceberg; the part that can be seen is the smallest one, the largest part is invisible, that is especially the work which is usually not elaborated upon. Otherwise the results may be less than expected.”

Further Mr Nalbandyan assured the students that the Armenian side is taking all the necessary steps.

“There is no need to disclose all the details of the internal diplomacy. Be sure that the possible steps are being taken so that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is resolved through negotiations, peacefully and based on the norms of the international law. One of the main principles if the self-determination through which the most important issue of the conflict must be resolved – the status of Nagorno Karabakh.”