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BAKU – UN member states have thrown their weight behind Azerbaijan on nations’ right to self-determination and the inadmissibility of its interpretations to justify territorial claims and unlawful use of force against countries.

The UN General Assembly at its 65th plenary session unanimously passed a resolution on "Strengthening the role of mediation in peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and settlement", the Azerbaijani mission to the UN said.

Azerbaijan faces a two-decade-long conflict with Armenia. 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory, including the Nagorno Karabakh region, has been under Armenian occupation since the two South Caucasus republics signed a precarious cease-fire in 1994 following a lengthy war. Separatists are running a self-proclaimed republic in Nagorno Karabakh, which is predominantly populated by ethnic Armenians. Mediators from Russia, the United States and France have led negotiations on Karabakh settlement but little progress has been made so far.

Submission of the draft resolution was initiated early this year by the "Friends of mediation group", which included a slew of UN members. Azerbaijan was closely involved in the negotiation process as a co-author of the resolution.

Armenia's representative to the UN said during the General Assembly session that his country rejects the proposed resolution plan. Armenian diplomats failed in their attempts to exclude the principle of territorial integrity in the resolution. When their attempts failed, they asked that the right of nations to self-determination be renegotiated.

The resolution adopted by the UN GA reaffirmed its commitment to respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of all countries. It was also stressed that national sovereignty and obligations of countries must be observed under international law in order to ensure responsible and credible mediation.

UN member states rejected the Armenian delegation’s arguments regarding the right of peoples to self-determination. They reaffirmed its application to people under colonial domination or foreign occupation. Azerbaijan enjoyed support on its stance concerning the scope and subject of the right to self-determination, and the inadmissibility of justifying territorial claims and unlawful use of force against sovereign countries.

It was recognized by other countries that Azerbaijani territory is occupied and that Armenia is a key player in the current situation. Consequently, the General Assembly's resolution has once again confirmed that the right to self-determination of the Azerbaijani people was violated.

"Attention is drawn to the fact that the General Assembly explicitly referred to all of its previous resolutions on the issues relating to the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention, and settlement, including through mediation," Azerbaijan’s mission to the UN said.

This provision also clearly refers to the resolution titled "The situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan", adopted at the 62nd session of the UN GA. In the resolution, the Assembly expressed the support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders. It called for an immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Armenia’s forces from all Azerbaijani territories it occupies and expressed its support for international mediation efforts, the Azerbaijani mission said.

It said the Armenian delegation's apparent failure over the inclusion of basic principles of international law in the UN GA resolution may explain "their seeming nervous behavior and unabashed remarks" at the General Assembly session.

Attempts to interrupt the presentation being made by Azerbaijan’s Permanent Representative to the UN supporting the resolution angered members of many delegations.

"Of course, the result was the adoption of an important resolution amid active support of Azerbaijan and Armenia’s complete isolation in its position at the UN General Assembly."

The Azerbaijani mission added that Yerevan's official isolation on vital issues is particularly noteworthy in view of strengthening the mediation efforts and the upcoming next round of talks on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh between the two countries’ presidents.

This story is published by AzerNEWS Weekly under a project funded by the Foundation for State Assistance to the Development of the Media under the President of the Azerbaijan Republic.