Position Paper: GA Plenary, Azeri

Committee: General Assembly Plenary

Topic: Cooperation between UN and Regional Organizations

Country: The Republic of Azerbaijan

Delegate: Ma, Yifan and Jessica, Forest Hills High School

The cooperation between the UN and Regional Organizations is based on Chapter VIII of the UN Charter, articles 52 to 54. Article 52 para. 1 states that "nothing in the present Charter precludes the existence of regional arrangements or agencies for dealing with such matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security as are appropriate for regional action provided that such arrangements or agencies and their activities are consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations".

The Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan is internationally recognized as a part of Azerbaijan. The Republic of Azerbaijan is located in the Southwestern part of Asia. Followed up the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Armenian secessionists of Nagorno-Karabakh have since gained the control of this region till today, Azerbaijan gaining its independence in 1991 and becoming its own independent nation. It has several regional groups involved in peacekeeping and resolving regional problems that the United Nations cannot alone resolve. These regional groups are Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and GUUAM, which includes the five CIS of Georgia Ukraine Uzbekistan Azerbaijan and Moldova.

The Commonwealth of Independent States executes the regional organizing power of the former Soviet Union after its collapse. According to DMITRY BOULAKHOV, Deputy Executive Secretary of the CIS, the CIS was putting in place a regional mechanism for settling disputes and resolving conflicts. The current activity of CIS would be monitoring the presidential election among the region.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is valued the most significant in dealing with the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute. The OSCE Minsk Group has been working in resolving the tension between Azerbaijan and Armenia for over a decade. The United Nations continues to support the ongoing peacemaking efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group. In view of the continuing humanitarian crisis in the region, as well as in support of the OSCE Minsk Group, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been working on with OSCE by sending missions to Baku and Yerevan.

In November 15, 2001, The GUUAM member states and the United States declared a joint statement of antiterrorism. Azerbaijan also has a favorable relationship with NATO, and looking forward for more Cooperation. The existence of these organizations would help for the stability of this region, under the leading force of the United Nations.

The stability has a significant importance for the development of the Republic of Azerbaijan, beside the stability of the Transcaucasus region is significantly important to the surrounding regions as well. In peace seeking and peacemaking both the United Nations and regional organizations contributed a great deal to this region, yet the road ahead is not easy: Regional secessionism and refugee problems have been and are still being a huge threat to the economy and public life of the Azeri people. Considering to strengthening the power and influence of the peacemaking force, the United Nations should increase its involvement on this region, working together with OSCE and CIS by training peacemakers or if possible dispatching UN troops to Transcaucasus region. The government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and its people would expect a long-last peace that benefits the entire region.