Statement by H.E. Mr. Tofig F. Musayev Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations at the 2025 session of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, 20 January 2025
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Azərbaycan Respublikasının |
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Permanent Mission |
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633 Third Avenue, Suite 3210, New York, N.Y. 10017 |
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Statement by H.E. Mr. Tofig F. Musayev Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations at the 2025 session of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations 20 January 2025 At the outset, I would like to thank the Committee for this opportunity to share our concerns regarding the activities of the NGO called “Christian Solidarity International” (hereinafter CSI). In its formal communication dated 12 July 2024 in response to the earlier notification from the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the United Nations Office at Geneva, the Secretariat of the Human Rights Council indicated that concerns relating to the substance of the events organized by the above-named NGO should be addressed to the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations of ECOSOC. This is what we are doing right now to seek the Committee’s interference and support. During the side events organized by the CSI in Geneva on 9 July and 1 October 2024, and in a series of publications released and statements made by the CSI since at least September 2023, a distorted map of Azerbaijan was displayed and part of Azerbaijan’s sovereign territory was repeatedly referred to with invalid or fictitious names. Moreover, that area was mentioned even as a “Christian enclave”, thus openly bringing a confrontational religious connotation to the matter. It is an obvious fact that the CSI has consistently refused to call this part of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territory by its legal name. Furthermore, a former third country official known for his active role in the efforts to consolidate the results of the unlawful use of force and ethnic cleansing committed against Azerbaijan and our people since the early 1990s, as well as the accomplices of the regime illegally installed in the territories of Azerbaijan during their occupation were invited as either keynote speakers or panelists at those events on 9 July and 1 October 2024. Earlier in September 2023, a group of CSI members visited the area bordering Azerbaijan in the neighboring country and made provocative and slanderous statements with religious overtones. The allegations of the CSI are discriminatory on racial and religious grounds, as they completely ignore the violated rights of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijani victims of the 30-year conflict and occupation. Such ignorance is particularly outrageous as the scale of these violations is shocking: tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis were killed, more than a million Azerbaijanis were expelled from their homes, hundreds of cities, towns and villages in my country were razed to the ground, and tremendous losses were inflicted on our cultural and religious heritage and the environment. The tragic consequences of the conflict include thousands of missing citizens of Azerbaijan, Among them 719 are civilians, including 71 children and 267 women. Mass graves found in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan after November 2020 shed light on the wilful killing of Azerbaijani civilians and other persons protected under international humanitarian law in the course of the conflict. Against this background, it is noteworthy that the CSI overtly advocates for the unconditional and immediate release of the persons associated with the regime illegally installed in the territories of Azerbaijan when they were under occupation, who have been detained and arrested on charges of committing serious criminal offences amounting, inter alia, to war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and terrorism. The CSI cynically characterizes these persons as “former government members”, “political prisoners” and “hostages” and even propagates the absurd opinion that holding them accountable could be “indicative of genocide”. There is therefore no doubt that the CSI denies justice and the rule of law, advocates for impunity and aims to obstruct accountability for serious violations of international law. The considerations above are unambiguous in concluding the following: First, the allegations by the CSI in relation to my country are not concerned with matters falling within the competence of ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies, as required by paragraph 1 of ECOSOC resolution 1996/31; Second, the aims and purposes behind the activities of the CSI in relation to Azerbaijan are not in conformity with the spirit, purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, as required by paragraph 2 of ECOSOC resolution 1996/31; Third, the activities of the CSI in relation to my country do not serve to support the work of the United Nations, as required by paragraph 3 of ECOSOC resolution 1996/31; Consequently, there are credible grounds to submit that the CSI has repeatedly abused its ECOSOC Special Consultative Status by engaging in a pattern of unsubstantiated and politically motivated acts and a smear and disinformation campaign against Azerbaijan in contravention of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and, in this context, of Article 57 (a) of ECOSOC resolution 1996/31. In this regard, we would like to pose the following questions: Firstly, does the CSI acknowledge that the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, including the recognition and use of geographical names established by legitimate and competent national authorities in relation to their sovereign territory, is a duty placed on not only States, but also NGOs with the relevant consultative status of ECOSOC, in accordance with the requirements set forth in ECOSOC resolution 1996/31? Secondly, does the CSI acknowledge that States are obliged under international law to investigate, without undue delay, reports of serious international crimes and to prosecute and punish their perpetrators? Thirdly, which organizations or any third parties, whether natural or legal persons, financed the events held by the CSI on 9 July and 1 October 2024 in Geneva? And fourthly, how the participants who made interventions at the events on 9 July and 1 October 2024 are affiliated with the CSI and in what capacity and status were they accredited by the CSI to participate at these events? In line with the past precedent, the NGO Committee is requested to seek for written answers from the CSI to the questions raised by my delegation. In order to allow sufficient time for that, responses may be provided before the resumed session of the Committee.
Thank you. |
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