Information of the Press Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Meeting held in a virtual format
On October 9, 2020, the Non-Aligned Movement held a virtual ministerial meeting.
The meeting, chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Araz Azimov, was attended by Foreign Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Permanent Representatives of the Non-Aligned Movement member states to the United Nations.
At the beginning of the meeting, a video statement by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov was made. In the statement, the Minister noted that over the past 65 years since the adoption of the Bandung Principles, which form the basis of the Non-Aligned Movement, these principles have contributed to justice in international relations, and their importance has increased even more against the background of growing threats to peace and security.
The Minister informed the participants about the fact that Armenia has been occupying the territories of our country for about 30 years in violation of the principles of international law and four relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and its illegal activities for the annexation of these territories.
Informing about the next military aggression committed by the Armenian armed forces against Azerbaijan since September 27, 2020 and the decisive counter-offensive measures taken by the Azerbaijani armed forces in response, the Minister noted that along with the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, Armenia targeted civilians and civilian objects in violation of international humanitarian law, and the attack resulted in numerous casualties among Azerbaijani civilians and serious damage to civilian objects.
The Minister noted that it is more important than ever for the world community to express solidarity with Azerbaijan in the context of gross violations by Armenia of norms and principles of international law, including international humanitarian law, deliberately attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Then, the Non-Aligned Movement member states unanimously adopted a Special Declaration under the item "Armed attack by the Republic of Armenia against the positions of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan and civilian settlements along the entire front".
In a special declaration, the Non-Aligned Movement member states expressed concern over the resumption of clashes in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, which resulted in casualties among civilians. The members of the movement reiterated their principled support for the settlement of the conflict on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions, emphasizing their support for Azerbaijan's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The member states expressed their solidarity with the Republic of Azerbaijan on the basis of the principled position of the Movement.
During the meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov presented the annual report of the chairmanship of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Non-Aligned Movement. Then, on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the adoption of the Bandung Principles, discussions were held on the effective and joint response of the Non-Aligned Movement to the current challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Political Declaration of the meeting was adopted.
