Doc. 9294

13 December 2001

Statements by Azerbaijan on solving the Nagorno Karabakh conflict by military means

Written Question No. 397

Reply from the Committee of Ministers

adopted at the 766^th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies (6 December 2001)

I.       Written Question No. 397 by Mr Hovhannisyan (Doc. 9235)

      On January 25, 2001 Armenia and Azerbaijan became members of the Council of Europe.

      Upon joining the Organisation they have made accession commitments to be implemented and followed unabated.

      One of the most important obligations undertaken by both countries is the commitment to find only a peaceful solution to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict.

      To the regret and great concern of Armenian and the international community as well, Azerbaijan officials at the highest level, including President H. Aliev, Defense Minister S. Abiev and Minister of National Security N. Abbasov have, during recent months, made belligerent statements on different occasions aiming to reserve the situation with a military solution to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict.

      Mr Hovhannisyan,

      Requests the Committee of Ministers to invite the Republic of Azerbaijan:

-       to refrain from statements that call for a military solution to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict and seriously endanger the peace process;

-       to fully respect its obligations to find a negotiated peaceful solution to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict.

II.       Reply from the Committee of Ministers

The Committee of Ministers has taken note of the written question by Mr Hovhannisyan.

The Committee of Ministers stresses that all its member states are required to honour the commitments entered into upon joining the Organisation. Accordingly, Azerbaijan and Armenia, in becoming members of the Council of Europe, both undertook to settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict by peaceful means.

The Committee of Ministers therefore expects both countries to actively seek, without delay, a peaceful solution to the conflict, while avoiding all negative statements and other provocations or military threats.

In this regard, the Committee of Ministers cannot but refer to its reply to written question No. 396 by Ms Hajiyeva in which it “appeals to the two member states concerned … to avoid any statement in favour of a military solution or likely to strengthen enmity and hatred, in disregard of the commitments entered into by both countries when joining the Council of Europe. The Committee of Ministers is in fact convinced that a peaceful solution to this conflict is a matter of fundamental importance and great urgency, because the implementation of this joint commitment by the two countries may have a positive effect on the honouring of all their other commitments.”