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Viewing cable 08STATE124950, INSTRUCTION - MINSK GROUP RESPONSE TO SYG RE:

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08STATE124950 2008-11-25 19:23 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Secretary of State
VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #4950 3301930
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251923Z NOV 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 3963
INFO RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU IMMEDIATE 7695
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 6211
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 1896
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN IMMEDIATE 6416
UNCLAS STATE 124950 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AJ FR PREL RS ZJ XJ
SUBJECT: INSTRUCTION - MINSK GROUP RESPONSE TO SYG RE: 
UNGA RESOLUTION ON OCCUPIED TERRITORIES IN AZERBAIJAN 
 
1.  The Department instructs USUN to deliver the response 
below to the Secretary General.  The response was jointly 
drafted and agreed upon by the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group 
(United States, Russia and France).  The Co-Chairs agreed 
that the U.S. would deliver the joint response under U.S. 
cover letter and signature. 
 
2. Begin Text: 
 
Dear Mr. Secretary General: 
 
In response to your request for information from our 
countries regarding the implementation of UN General Assembly 
resolution 62/243 of March 14, 2008, 'The situation in the 
occupied territories of Azerbaijan,' which was passed with 39 
votes in favor, 7 votes against, and 100 abstentions, we are 
submitting with this letter the report of the three Co-Chair 
countries of the OSCE Minsk Group dealing with the 
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (the United States, Russia, and 
France) to the Permanent Council of the OSCE on November 6, 
2008, outlining our activities relating to the 
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement during the past year. 
 
As we noted in our explanation of vote on Resolution 62/243 
on March 14, 2008, our three countries had jointly proposed 
to the two parties a set of basic principles for the peaceful 
settlement of the conflict on the margins of the OSCE 
Ministerial Council in Madrid in November 2007.  Those basic 
principles were founded on the provisions of the Helsinki 
Final Act, including those related to refraining from the 
threat or use of force, the territorial integrity of States, 
and the equal rights and self-determination of peoples.  The 
proposal transmitted to the two sides in Madrid comprised a 
balanced package of principles that was then, and is still 
currently, under negotiation.  Our countries viewed 
Resolution 62/243 as selectively propagating only certain of 
those principles to the exclusion of others, without 
considering the Co-Chairs, proposal in its balanced 
entirety.  This lack of balance forced our countries to vote 
against the resolution, much to our regret.  Nevertheless, in 
our explanation of vote, and again today, we reaffirm our 
support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.  We are 
still convinced today that the most effective way for 
Azerbaijan to secure its territorial integrity is to continue 
its increasingly constructive discussions with Armenia to 
finalize the basic principles our countries proposed to both 
parties in Madrid, and thereby establish the framework for a 
comprehensive settlement that also incorporates the 
principles of self-determination and non-use of force in a 
mutually acceptable way.  In conclusion, we note that on 
November 2, 2008, the President of Azerbaijan, together with 
the Presidents of Armenia and Russia, signed a joint 
declaration on November 2, 2008 in Moscow in which they 
reaffirmed 'the importance of continuing the mediation 
efforts of the Co-Chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group with 
regard to their meetings with the parties in Madrid on 29 
November, 2007 and subsequent discussions with a view to 
further developing the basic principles of a political 
settlement.' 
RICE