UN Open Debate addresses Azeri shelling of peaceful population

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Zohrab Mnatsakanyan delivered on Tuesday, January 19 a statement during the Security Council Open Debate on “Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict,” Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

In his statement, Ambassador Mnatsakanyan stressed that ‪Armenia shares the concern of the Secretary General about the disturbing challenges to the protection of civilians in conflict-affected areas. While the humanitarian aspects of affected populations are of high concern, the official noted, basic physical security of civilians continues to be wracked. The persistently rising numbers of civilian casualties call for a resolute action, he said.

Ambassador Mnatsakanyan also stressed that the idea of arming the UN peace operations with a mandate for a preventive, protective and tactical use of force to protect civilians under threat of physical violence needs to be thoroughly considered.

“The reputation of the Organization is determined not by words of condemnation, but by deliverable protection,” the ambassador said. “Strengthening the capacity of field missions, including those of relevant regional organizations remains a priority. Protection of civilians in armed conflicts is closely tied to the prevention of mass atrocities, including the crime of genocide. A culture of assessing every crisis situation affecting civilian populations through the prism of massive crimes, including the crime of genocide, should be further cultivated within the Organization.”

Referring to the recent situation in the South Caucasus region, the envoy stressed that Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh have been experiencing significant challenges to the security of their civilian populations as a result of Azerbaijan’s ongoing disregard to the 1994 ceasefire agreement.

“Azerbaijan continues to target civilians across the line of contact with Nagorno Karabakh and the border with Armenia. As a result of intensified ceasefire violations and massive shelling of populated areas with an unprecedented use of heavy artillery, considerable damage has been inflicted on border villages. In September 2015 three women have been killed in Azerbaijani fire. Armenia strongly condemns Azerbaijan for violating the ceasefire and disrupting the peace process in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship. Once again, Armenia urges Azerbaijan to heed the calls of the international community and agree without delay to establish a mechanism to investigative the ceasefire violations, and to withdraw snipers. By rejecting such mechanism, Azerbaijan bears full responsibility for the violations and the escalation of tensions,” he noted.

In conclusion, Ambassador Mnatsakanyan stressed the negotiations for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship as a positive example of effective utilization of the capacity of regional organizations in conflict settlement.

The Open Debate was presided over by José Luis Cancela, Deputy Foreign Minister of Uruguay. Representatives of about eighty state members, including Deputy Foreign Ministers of Spain and Ukraine, as well Jan Eliasson, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Christine Beerli, Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross took part in the Debate.