“Armenia-Azerbaijan Platform for Peace” established

Baku – APA. “Armenia-Azerbaijan Platform for Peace” has been established.

APA presents the statement adopted on the establishment of “Armenia-Azerbaijan Platform for Peace”

- We, considering the appeal to the Presidents and People of Azerbaijan and Armenia adopted at the conference entitled “Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: main obstacles and prospects of the settlement. View from Armenia and Azerbaijan” held in Baku on November 8, 2016 (http://en.apa.az/nagorno_karabakh/azerbaijani-armenian-human-rights-defenders-address-presidents-and-people-of-both-countries.html).

- Noting with a heavy heart the death of tens of thousands of people from the both sides, hundreds of thousands of people who became IDPs and refugees as a result of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict which remains unresolved for more than 25 years,

- Accepting the importance to prevent further casualties from both sides and resolve the conflict by peaceful means,

- Stressing with regret that perceptions of new generations growing in both countries towards each other are formed only in the context of war as a result of unsettlement of the conflict,

- Admitting that the resolution of the conflict is possible according to the will of the People of Armenia and Azerbaijan,

- Referring to the tradition of coexistence of the People of Armenia and Azerbaijan,

- Accepting that the People of both Azerbaijan and Armenia by exercising their right to self-determination established independent and sovereign Republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia within their internationally recognized borders,

- Reiterating the respect and support to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia within the internationally recognized borders,

- Considering the current status-quo dangerous, unacceptable and unsustainable, as it was also repeatedly stated by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs at the Heads of State level,

- Recognizing the importance to implement the relevant resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council and resolutions and decisions of  other international organizations on the settlement of the conflict,

- Stressing the liberation of seven districts adjacent to the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan from occupation as an important starting point for step-by-step settlement of the conflict and building lasting peace in the region,

- Recognizing the right of IDPs to return to their native lands with dignity and safety,

- Accepting the importance to guarantee the security of Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan,

- Stressing the importance to determine the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan as Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Republic within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,

Agreed on the following:

1. To establish the “Armenia-Azerbaijan Platform for Peace” to continue the peace initiative established on November 8, 2016 and contribute positively to the settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

2. To announce the Platform open for civil society institutions, NGOs, public and religious figures, experts, academicians and ordinary people from Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as other countries willing to contribute to this initiative to enhance the “Armenia-Azerbaijan Platform for Peace”.

3. Platform to establish sustainable cooperation with societies of both countries and engage in effective People to People diplomacy activities to contribute to the soonest settlement of the conflict by peaceful means.

4. Platform guided by the norms and principles of international law and Helsinki Final Act to closely cooperate with the OSCE Minsk Group and co-chair countries to support the settlement of the conflict.

5. Platform to encourage the Governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan to take comprehensive measures towards the liberation of seven districts adjacent to the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan from occupation as an initial step, return of IDPs to their native lands, guaranteeing the security of Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and restoration of political-economic relations and opening of communications between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

6. Platform to hold public discussions and make suggestions and recommendations on the settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

7. Platform to take steps in regard with ethnic reconciliation of the People of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

8. To organize meetings of Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh region by the Platform to discuss coexistence, final status of Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and peace process.

9. To hold a Forum titled “Road to Peace” in an extended format with the participation of Armenian and Azerbaijani members of the Platform and international partners.

10. Platform to take necessary steps to establish cooperation with international organizations to bring conflicting parties closer to the peace.

11. To establish a Secretariat of the Platform to organize the activity of the “Armenia-Azerbaijan Platform for Peace”. Two co-chairs, one from each country to lead the Platform.

12. To inform the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as the UN and its specialized agencies, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the European Union and other international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations on the establishment of “Armenia-Azerbaijan Platform for Peace”.

On behalf of conference participants from the Armenian side, the appeal was signed by human rights defender Vage Aventian, chairman of Public Organization “National Liberation Movement” Vaan Martirosian and journalist, vice-president of human rights non-governmental organization “Meridian” Syusan Djaginian.

On behalf of conference participants from the Azerbaijani side, the document was signed Rovshan Rzayev, a member of the Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh, Kamil Safarov, professor of Baku State University, and Shalala Hasanova, chairwoman of Public Union “Support for the Development of Communication with Public”.