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Oskanian: Karabakh Issue Not War Of Principles, But People Struggle...
OSKANIAN: KARABAKH ISSUE NOT WAR OF PRINCIPLES, BUT PEOPLE STRUGGLE FOR SELF-DETERMINATION
Pan Armenian
06.12.2005 03:22 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "It is 30 years since the Helsinki Final Act. The
world and the purposes for which it was enacted are no longer with
us," stated Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian addressing the OSCE Council
of FMs session in Ljubljana, reported the Press Service of the MFA
of Armenia. Yet the principles, norms and values of that document
have endured the test of time, although the vehicles and instruments
that have articulated and politically promoted and protected those
fundamental principles of human rights and the rights of people,
have adapted and changed, he remarked. Or perhaps they have endured
because they have transformed themselves, he added.
"After all, the participating states, too, are not what they used
to be.
Though still in transition, Armenia, for example, is less fragile,
less vulnerable, less inexperienced with the ways of an open society.
Independence is already 14 years old. Our institutions are more
democratic, our economy more private, our markets more liberal,
our trade more diversified, our diplomacy unconstrained and free
to interact with North and South, West and East," the Armenian
FM said. "Of course, our transition is not complete," Oskanian
added. "But, frankly, everywhere in the OSCE region, economies are
in some stage of transition, the rule of law is a work in progress,
the movement from citizen rights to human rights still a difficult
challenge," the Armenian Minister noted.
We all know these things, Oskanian said. In his words, the essential
task before them is to make sure the rules, methods and practices of
the OSCE adapt sufficiently and appropriately to remain effective and
beneficial and not exacerbate the inevitably uneven power and influence
among this group of 55 - where San Marino, Monaco and Liechtenstein
are members together with the United States, the Russian Federation
and the EU. "It was in a search for such prudent adaptation that in
Sofia, at the last Ministerial, we opted to seek the assessments and
recommendations of a Panel of Eminent Persons.
Indeed, seven wise persons conferred and saw the need for
modification," Mr.
Oskanian stated. "Armenia remains ready to work further, to participate
fully and try to make the OSCE as an organization become more
resilient, more effective and more capable to meet the challenges
ahead of us: terrorism, the consolidation of democracy, respect
for human rights, the expansion of economic opportunity, managing
migration in all its manifestations, the resolution of existing and
emerging conflicts and the reconstruction and rehabilitation of areas
affected by those conflicts.
These challenges can only be met if all Participating States avoid
seeing the world through the narrow prism of their own domestic
political imperatives," the Armenian FM stated.
Speaking of the future of the Helsinki Final Act V. Oskanian remarked
that the integrity of the Helsinki Final Act will be protected and
preserved only if the integrality of the document is respected. "The
Helsinki Decalogue is just like the Ten Commandments. Their
functionality, appropriateness and efficacy depend on a unified
approach, not an expedient and selective one," he said. "That is why
when the right of self-determination of the people of Nagorno Karabakh
is callously dismissed, we insist on reminding the world that this
is not a conflict between principles, this is a people's struggle
for self-determination. Since the conflict began, international
developments and self-determination processes in different parts of
the world have led to fundamental changes in international thinking
on this issue. Relationships between states - new and old - are
evolving. We have witnessed East Timor's independence through a
referendum and the signing of an agreement in Sudan concluding a
decades-old conflict on the basis of a referendum to be held in one
part of the country. Today there are serious deliberations about
Kosovo's future status. Among political, legal and academic experts,
there is a growing awareness of the possibility and reality of
recognizing the right of self-determination in certain circumstances,"
the Armenian FM emphasized.
In his words, those circumstances nearly exactly describe NK today.
Azerbaijan has no control whatsoever over Karabakh, which has achieved
the attributes of complete sovereignty in the last 15 years, Oskanian
said. "In addition to the duration and depth of its self-determination,
Nagorno Karabakh's situation is further reinforced and made complete
by the following facts. First, it seceded legally, according to the
laws of the day. Second, the territory in question has never been
within the jurisdiction of independent Azerbaijan. Third, Azerbaijan,
in perpetrating violence against people that it considered its own
citizens, has lost the moral right to custody over those people. And,
finally, there is the de facto political reality of Nagorno Karabakh's
proven ability to hold elections, govern its people, protect
its borders and conduct international relations. In other words,
actually in Helsinki language, they are exercising their right to
"without external interference, pursue as they wish their political,
economic, social and cultural development." This is their right. This
was the world's promise to the peoples who lived on the other side of
the Iron Curtain, and some of whom, like us, are sitting around this
table, today. The people of Nagorno Karabakh are no less deserving
of that promise," V. Oskanian summed up.
In conclusion, Mr. Oskanian expressed Armenia's appreciation for the
work done by the Slovenian Chairmanship. "The proof of Slovenia's
hospitality and generosity is evident throughout this Ministerial
Council. We congratulate Belgium for its assuming the Chairmanship
next," the Armenian FM said.
It should be noted that during his visit to Ljubljana the Armenian FM
had a number of bilateral meetings. December 4 evening he met with
Daniel Fried, US Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of European
and Eurasian Affairs.
Today V. Oskanian had meetings with Luxembourg leader Jean Asselborn,
Romanian FM Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian
FM Dimitrij Rupel. December 5-6 the Armenian FM is scheduled to meet
with Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis, OSCE Secretary
General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, Ukrainian FM Boris Tarasyuk.
OSKANIAN: KARABAKH ISSUE NOT WAR OF PRINCIPLES, BUT PEOPLE STRUGGLE FOR SELF-DETERMINATION
Pan Armenian
06.12.2005 03:22 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "It is 30 years since the Helsinki Final Act. The
world and the purposes for which it was enacted are no longer with
us," stated Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian addressing the OSCE Council
of FMs session in Ljubljana, reported the Press Service of the MFA
of Armenia. Yet the principles, norms and values of that document
have endured the test of time, although the vehicles and instruments
that have articulated and politically promoted and protected those
fundamental principles of human rights and the rights of people,
have adapted and changed, he remarked. Or perhaps they have endured
because they have transformed themselves, he added.
"After all, the participating states, too, are not what they used
to be.
Though still in transition, Armenia, for example, is less fragile,
less vulnerable, less inexperienced with the ways of an open society.
Independence is already 14 years old. Our institutions are more
democratic, our economy more private, our markets more liberal,
our trade more diversified, our diplomacy unconstrained and free
to interact with North and South, West and East," the Armenian
FM said. "Of course, our transition is not complete," Oskanian
added. "But, frankly, everywhere in the OSCE region, economies are
in some stage of transition, the rule of law is a work in progress,
the movement from citizen rights to human rights still a difficult
challenge," the Armenian Minister noted.
We all know these things, Oskanian said. In his words, the essential
task before them is to make sure the rules, methods and practices of
the OSCE adapt sufficiently and appropriately to remain effective and
beneficial and not exacerbate the inevitably uneven power and influence
among this group of 55 - where San Marino, Monaco and Liechtenstein
are members together with the United States, the Russian Federation
and the EU. "It was in a search for such prudent adaptation that in
Sofia, at the last Ministerial, we opted to seek the assessments and
recommendations of a Panel of Eminent Persons.
Indeed, seven wise persons conferred and saw the need for
modification," Mr.
Oskanian stated. "Armenia remains ready to work further, to participate
fully and try to make the OSCE as an organization become more
resilient, more effective and more capable to meet the challenges
ahead of us: terrorism, the consolidation of democracy, respect
for human rights, the expansion of economic opportunity, managing
migration in all its manifestations, the resolution of existing and
emerging conflicts and the reconstruction and rehabilitation of areas
affected by those conflicts.
These challenges can only be met if all Participating States avoid
seeing the world through the narrow prism of their own domestic
political imperatives," the Armenian FM stated.
Speaking of the future of the Helsinki Final Act V. Oskanian remarked
that the integrity of the Helsinki Final Act will be protected and
preserved only if the integrality of the document is respected. "The
Helsinki Decalogue is just like the Ten Commandments. Their
functionality, appropriateness and efficacy depend on a unified
approach, not an expedient and selective one," he said. "That is why
when the right of self-determination of the people of Nagorno Karabakh
is callously dismissed, we insist on reminding the world that this
is not a conflict between principles, this is a people's struggle
for self-determination. Since the conflict began, international
developments and self-determination processes in different parts of
the world have led to fundamental changes in international thinking
on this issue. Relationships between states - new and old - are
evolving. We have witnessed East Timor's independence through a
referendum and the signing of an agreement in Sudan concluding a
decades-old conflict on the basis of a referendum to be held in one
part of the country. Today there are serious deliberations about
Kosovo's future status. Among political, legal and academic experts,
there is a growing awareness of the possibility and reality of
recognizing the right of self-determination in certain circumstances,"
the Armenian FM emphasized.
In his words, those circumstances nearly exactly describe NK today.
Azerbaijan has no control whatsoever over Karabakh, which has achieved
the attributes of complete sovereignty in the last 15 years, Oskanian
said. "In addition to the duration and depth of its self-determination,
Nagorno Karabakh's situation is further reinforced and made complete
by the following facts. First, it seceded legally, according to the
laws of the day. Second, the territory in question has never been
within the jurisdiction of independent Azerbaijan. Third, Azerbaijan,
in perpetrating violence against people that it considered its own
citizens, has lost the moral right to custody over those people. And,
finally, there is the de facto political reality of Nagorno Karabakh's
proven ability to hold elections, govern its people, protect
its borders and conduct international relations. In other words,
actually in Helsinki language, they are exercising their right to
"without external interference, pursue as they wish their political,
economic, social and cultural development." This is their right. This
was the world's promise to the peoples who lived on the other side of
the Iron Curtain, and some of whom, like us, are sitting around this
table, today. The people of Nagorno Karabakh are no less deserving
of that promise," V. Oskanian summed up.
In conclusion, Mr. Oskanian expressed Armenia's appreciation for the
work done by the Slovenian Chairmanship. "The proof of Slovenia's
hospitality and generosity is evident throughout this Ministerial
Council. We congratulate Belgium for its assuming the Chairmanship
next," the Armenian FM said.
It should be noted that during his visit to Ljubljana the Armenian FM
had a number of bilateral meetings. December 4 evening he met with
Daniel Fried, US Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of European
and Eurasian Affairs.
Today V. Oskanian had meetings with Luxembourg leader Jean Asselborn,
Romanian FM Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian
FM Dimitrij Rupel. December 5-6 the Armenian FM is scheduled to meet
with Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis, OSCE Secretary
General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, Ukrainian FM Boris Tarasyuk.
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