Having played a crucial role in Azerbaijan’s formation and development, Heydar Aliyev left an indelible mark in the history of Azerbaijan. "Azerbaijan & Heydar Aliyev" is a special project of Trend News Agency, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the national leader, which will cover key events of Heydar Aliyev's work in the years of his leading Azerbaijan.
On July 7, 2000, the national leader visited the UN center in Vienna, where he met with the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Head of the UN Mission in Austria, Pino Arlacchi. Heydar Aliyev described in detail the problems in the work of international institutions when it comes to interethnic conflicts.
After gaining state independence in 1991, Azerbaijan was immediately recognized by the United Nations and is a member of the UN, he recalled.
"We appreciate it as one of the most important factors of our independence. We constantly cooperate and will continue to cooperate with the United Nations Organization. To tell the truth, some issues in the period of cooperation with the United Nations Organization cause our dissatisfaction. It is connected with the fact that the United Nations Organization cannot take effective decisions in our region towards the settlement of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. As you know, as a result of this conflict, the armed forces of Armenia have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory. More than a million Azerbaijanis banished from native hearths have been living in different places of our country in extremely hard conditions for a long time, 6-7 years," Heydar Aliyev noted.
As he pointed out, in 1992-1993, when Armenian troops occupied Azerbaijani territories, Azerbaijan appealed to the United Nations Organization.
"The United Nations Organization considered these appeals in the Security Council four times and may be more. In any case, the Security Council of the United Nations Organization adopted four resolutions on the unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azerbaijan. The UNO Security Council has also adopted several special statements in this connection. However, Armenia, being a member of the United Nations Organization, fulfilled none of the decisions adopted by the UN Security Council. It comes out that the Security Council passes a decision but does not fulfill it. And this does not do credit to the United Nations Organization," the National Leader said.
Heydar Aliyev noted that he was told that there was no mechanism for implementing resolutions and decisions of the United Nations Security Council.
"But if there is no such a mechanism, it should be created. If it is not created, it means that the United Nations Organization is indifferent to the implementation of resolutions adopted by it. Today I have to talk about this, because the situation in which our country finds itself forces me to do this," he said.
"I cannot help speaking about it. I hope these words will not remain just information for You, and You, on Your part, will react to my opinion. When I say "You will react" I mean practical actions by the United Nations Organization," Heydar Aliyev stressed.