Baku, August 1, AZERTAC

“Helsinki Final Act was adopted on August 1, 1975 within the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE).

Helsinki Final Act established ten fundamental principles (the 'Decalogue') governing especially the behaviour of States towards each other and served for maintenance of peace and security in Europe,” said spokesperson of Azerbaijan`s Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev as he commented on the adoption of Helsinki Final Act on August 1, 1975.

“In January 1992, the Republic of Azerbaijan joined CSCE. Since then Azerbaijan remains fully committed to its obligations under the Helsinki Final Act.

As part of this institutionalization process, the name was changed from the CSCE to the OSCE by a decision of the Budapest Summit of Heads of State or Government in December 1994.

In the Helsinki Final Act, the principle of the non-use of force is explicitly linked to the inadmissibility of changing the boundaries of states through violent means and implies a prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force. For this very purpose, the Helsinki Final Act expanded Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and codified the territorial integrity, the inviolability of frontiers and the non-use of force as separate principles to emphasize the norm of territorial integrity. These principles were reaffirmed in the Helsinki Final Act in a way to emphasize that they are consequential principles generated by the foundational norm of territorial integrity and are hence inextricably linked under international law. With regard to self-determination the Article VIII of the Helsinki Final Act established that “acting at all times in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and with the relevant norms of international law, including those relating to territorial integrity of States.”

As the OSCE member state, the Republic of Armenia in blatant violation of its commitments under the Helsinki Final Act by use of force occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions of Azerbaijan. Armenia conducted notorious ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijani civilian population in the seized lands. Illegal presence of armed forces of Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is the continuation of Armenia’s use of force and threat of force policy against Azerbaijan.

In order to disguise its illegal actions, especially use of force and threat of force against territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, attempts of annexation of Azerbaijan’s occupied territories and forceful expulsion of civilian Azerbaijani population from their native lands, Armenia by all means tries to distort the principles of equal rights and self-determination enshrined in Helsinki Final Act.

Non-compliance by Armenia with the its Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE obligations and their continuous violation, selective and double standard approaches in application of Helsinki Final Act principles causes for protraction of settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict through negotiations and maintenance of the risks of military escalation.

As established in the relevant OSCE document of 1995 Helsinki Final Act along with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions constitute the basis of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs mandate.

On the occasion of 43rd anniversary of Helsinki Final Act, we urge all OSCE Member States to demand in a firm and unequivocal manner from Armenia to comply with its obligations under the Helsinki Final Act and other international legal instruments, cease use of force against Azerbaijan and withdraw its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

In accordance with the principles of Helsinki Final Act, Azerbaijan will ensure its territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders.”