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Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev: â€œAzerbaijan welcomes the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian talks and expresses hope that they would help bring about a just and lasting solutionâ€

25 January 2012 09:34 (UTC +04:00)

Ambassador Mehdiyevâ€™s statements came as he briefed the UN Security Council during an open Council debate on the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

He said he commented that, â€œin contrast to some other well-known situations involving, groundless and illegitimate territorial claims, including those under the farfetched pretext of care for ethnic minority groups, the people of Palestine had been recognized as having the right to self-determination and statehoodâ€.

Amb. Mehdiyev also expressed the countryâ€™s fully support to the Palestinian membership in the United Nations. He also supported Palestinian reconciliation, and called on all parties to respect international humanitarian and human rights law.

In that context, he called for the application of all relevant legal norms in all situations of military occupation around the world, and the initiation of urgent measures to remove the adverse effects of any activities aimed at the consolidation of such occupation: â€œThe Security Council must play its role in putting an end to such illegal practicesâ€.

During the gathering, the top Azeri diplomat also addressed events in Syria expressed deep concern over the destabilization, violence and widespread human rights violations.

He fully supported the efforts of the Arab League and stressed that the only solution to the crisis was through an inclusive, Syrian-led political process.

â€œThe sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Syria and all other States in the region must be respectedâ€, Amb Mehdiyev said.

Oscar FernÃ¡ndez-Taranco, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs mentioned that despite continuing tensions on the ground, preparatory meetings between the Israelis and Palestinians presented an important opportunity for lasting peace that must be seized. â€œWe remain hopeful,â€ he said.

The Permanent Observer of Palestine and the representative of Israel also addressed the Council. â€œDespite all odds, the resilient Palestinian people remain hopeful that this year will bring long-awaited freedom, justice, peace, dignity and security in their homeland,â€ said the Palestinian official.

Israelâ€™s representative, pointing to the magnitude of unrest, threats and civil rights violations in the region, maintained that the Israeli-Palestinian issue was not the central conflict in the Middle East.

He criticized the Security Councilâ€™s inaction on militancy in Gaza, which was creating an explosive situation. â€œThe silence is deafening,â€ he added.

Following the discussions, the representatives of other member states, including Azerbaijan expressed hope that the current preparatory talks would lead to substantial negotiations, with many speakers urging that a comprehensive agreement on the details of a two-State solution be reached by the end of the year.

On Syria, like Azerbaijan, many speakers expressed deep concern at the continuing deaths and repression, calling for international support for efforts by the League of Arab States to end the violence and begin a Syrian-led dialogue process towards reform.

The Security Council will discuss the situations in Libya, Yemen and Cyprus, on January 25.