Politics

The urgent session of the UN Security Council does not imply the adoption of the document directly. Spokesperson of the RA MFA

Spokesperson of the RA MFA Ani Badalyan referred to the session called at the UN Security Council on the Nagorno-Karabakh Question, noting that the format of that session is a discussion, and it does not directly imply the adoption of a document (resolution or statement).

Question: On August 16, an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council was held regarding the humanitarian situation in Nagorno Karabakh. The countries expressed their positions, but it was not recorded in any document. Why was no decision made? Didn't Armenia present such a document?

Answer: As we have already mentioned, we highly appreciate the principled positions voiced by our partners, international structures during this and the previous session of the UNSC held in December, as well as until now on other international platforms, which are in line with the UNSC's priority regarding the maintenance of international security and peace. to the mandate, to the universal values of human rights protection and, perhaps most urgently at the moment, to the awareness of Azerbaijan's aggressive actions and the prevention of a new humanitarian disaster in Nagorno-Karabakh.

From a procedural point of view, the format of the urgent meeting of the UN Security Council is a discussion, it does not directly imply the adoption of a document (resolution or statement). In addition, the 15 (permanent and non-permanent) members of the UN Security Council have the right to present draft resolutions of the UN Security Council and initiate voting. Armenia, not being a member of the UN Security Council, does not have such authority.

The discussion in the format of the UN Security Council provides an important platform, an opportunity to focus the attention of the international community on the possible catastrophic consequences of the situation, to activate the Council's efforts to address it and their possible coordination, to outline the next steps.

Question: Is that the end of the process?

Answer: Not at all, this is an ongoing process. RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues its active activities at the UN and other platforms. Today, the international community, the UN Security Council, the members interested in real, long-term stability in the region, must take clear steps, coordinate efforts, in order to direct the perception formed regarding the importance of reopening the Lachine Corridor, with the effective use of existing mechanisms, to direct the immediate settlement of the problem.

Question: And why was the urgent meeting of August 16 convened under the heading "The September 13 letter of the Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN addressed to the President of the UN Security Council"? Why wasn't a new letter or application sent?

Answer: As a result of Azerbaijan's aggression against the sovereign territory of Armenia in September 2022, since the application submitted by Armenia to the UN Security Council, a relevant agenda item of the UN Security Council with the title mentioned by you has been formed. This is an accepted phenomenon in the UN Security Council and has a straightforward technical justification: to avoid burdening the Security Council agenda with different formulations of the same or very similar issues.

Let's emphasize that with the letter of September 13, the RA Foreign Minister's letter regarding the armed attack of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan's continuous aggressive actions against both Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, which are a threat to international peace and security, was brought to the attention of the UNSC.

Later, from December 2022, the two discussions called in relation to the problem of blocking the Lachin Corridor and the humanitarian crisis created in Nagorno Karabakh were held with reference to that letter and under the agenda item.

It should be noted that both last December and this year Ahead of the August meetings, Armenia presented special application letters to the attention of the UN Security Council members for the purpose of discussing the Lachin Corridor issue. In addition, dozens of letters regarding the blockade of Lachin Corridor and the created humanitarian crisis were circulated both in the UN Security Council and the General Assembly, and in other international platforms.