Baku, Azerbaijan, June 1
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is ready to engage in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict if approached by the parties involved, OIC Secretary General Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen said in an interview with Trend.
The OIC advocates for peaceful and negotiated settlement of all conflicts, he said, adding that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is no exception.
“Operative Paragraph 12 of Resolution No. 10/45-POL adopted by the 45th CFM held in Dhaka on 5-6 May 2018 urged Armenia and all member states of the OSCE Minsk Group to engage constructively in the ongoing OSCE peace process on the basis of the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the relevant OSCE decisions and documents,” said the OIC secretary general.
Al-Othaimeen pointed out that therefore, the OIC will continue its efforts for the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “At the same time, it expects Armenian authorities to be forthcoming and join the negotiation with openness.”
“The OIC will continue its efforts to contribute in the peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in line with the resolution adopted by the 45th CFM and is ready to engage if approached by the parties involved.”
OIC secretary general urged Armenia to cooperate with regional and international initiatives to resolve the conflict.
“An ongoing conflict affects the peace, stability and growth of involved parties. Continuation of any conflict does not bring anything good. So, the parties of any conflict should sit together and resolve the conflict peacefully through negotiated settlement. Regional initiatives need to be reactivated and given due consideration,” he said.
Al-Othaimeen noted that a number of tools are available and applied to settle a conflict. “First and foremost, the involved parties have to show their political will, interest and flexibility and commit themselves for a peaceful solution. Then suitable mechanisms can be considered and applied to find a peaceful solution of the conflict.”
Further, the OIC secretary general noted that all member states of the organization are guided and inspired by the noble Islamic teachings and values and shall settle their disputes through peaceful means.
Article 27 of OIC Charter stipulates that the Member States, parties to any dispute, the continuance of which may be detrimental to the interests of the Islamic Ummah or may endanger the maintenance of international peace and security, shall, seek a solution by good offices, negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement or other peaceful means of their own choice. “In this context good offices may include consultation with the Executive Committee and the Secretary-General.”
Article 28 says that the Organization may cooperate with other international and regional organizations with the objective of preserving international peace and security, and settling disputes through peaceful means, he added.
“The OIC strongly believes that military means cannot solve a conflict. Therefore, in recent years the OIC General Secretariat is emphasizing on mediation and track II diplomacy to resolve a conflict. Today, the OIC Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution Unit (PSCU) is fully functional and is engaged with various conflict resolution activities in OIC Member States. The PSCU receives advisory opinion from the OIC Wise Persons’ Council (WPC) and the network of Special Envoys. Besides this, an OIC Contact Group on Peace and Conflict Resolution (PCR) has also been established,” OIC secretary general said.
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