ON OBSERVANCE
OF PRINCIPLES AND NORMS OF ETIQUETTE
IN INTERSTATE
RELATIONS AHEAD OF TALKS IN SOCHI
by Hayk KOTANJIAN
Yerevan, 08.08.2014
Chairman of the Political Science Association of
Armenia, Elected Member of the Academy of Military Sciences (RF), Visiting
Professor at the National Defense University (US), Doctor of Political Sciences
(RF), Major General Hayk Kotanjian asked the editorial staff of IA REGNUM to
publish the following statement.
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| Major General Hayk Kotanjian |
This statement reflects a
desire to help defuse tensions as a result of violations of the truce between
the parties to the Karabakh conflict in terms of the recent hostilities on the
borders of the Republic of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic ahead of the talks between the heads of state of the Republic of
Armenia and Azerbaijan in Sochi at the invitation of the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chair represented by the President of the Russian Federation.
As we know in the UN
Charter and the preamble to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
common goals and principles of interstate relations are set forth concerning
the sovereign equality of states, the maintenance of international peace and
security and the promotion of friendly relations among nations.
Taking into account that
the etiquette of interstate relations is not defined in some integrated code of
international standards, it can be interpreted as a reflection of the goals and
principles of the UN Charter and the Vienna Convention in the corporate rules
of professional conduct in interstate relations, including the procedure rules
and style of the visits, public speaking, business meetings and negotiations
between actors in international relations. And in these
terms, referring to the etiquette of interstate relations, we mean the
commitment of the political culture of a state and actors to certain rules and
traditions of maintaining relations with other states. At the same time, as the
main actors of interstate relations and bearers of norms of this etiquette are
the heads of states, and not just their diplomatic agents on behalf of their
representatives. It is important to note that the UN Charter and the Vienna
Convention are adopted both by the Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The use of this approach
- in the absence of another - makes it possible to interpret the observance of
the norms of etiquette of interstate relations by the Head of Azerbaijan with his
partners in the forthcoming talks in Sochi, being organized under the auspices
of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair represented by the Head of the Russian
Federation - one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council.
In this regard, the
reference of my Statement not only to the UN Charter but also to the Vienna
Convention - despite the absence of diplomatic relations between Armenia and
Azerbaijan - disguises the deep dissatisfaction with this political and
diplomatic fact under the conditions of the tripartite ceasefire agreement
among the Republic of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic,
signed in May 1994, and many years of negotiations between the parties to the Karabakh
conflict, under the aegis of Co-Chairmanship of the three permanent members of
the UN Security Council: the Russian Federation, the United States and the
French Republic.
Meanwhile, two days
before the talks between the heads of state of the Republic of Armenia and
Azerbaijan, on August 6, 2014, the official website of the President of
Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev posted the text of his speech entitled “THE
PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN, SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES ILHAM
ALIYEV VISITED A MILITARY UNIT IN AGHDAM”. In this speech, the Head of the
neighboring state used expressions against the Republic of Armenia, grossly
violating the generally accepted norms of interstate relations.
A fragment of the official text by the head of Azerbaijan
is as follows: - “... If the Armenian fascist state will not give up its dirty deeds,
the very existence of the Armenian state can be called into question. …".
See the link of the official text on the site “PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN. ILHAM
ALIYEV”: http://ru.president.az/articles/12487
As the Chairman of the Political Science Association
of Armenia, I consider it my duty to mention the unacceptability of such
expressions for heads of neighboring states having official interstate
relations, especially on the eve of peace talks.
By his in-no-way justified definitions the President
of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev grossly violated the goals, principles and norms
of interstate relations, established in the UN Charter and the preamble of the
“Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations”. The definition of “fascist state”,
read out through the mouth of the President of Azerbaijan to the Republic of
Armenia, can only hinder the efforts to establish peace and stability in the
South Caucasus, as well as the success of the forthcoming meeting of the
Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Sochi at the invitation of the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chair – the President of the Russian Federation.
Ahead of the meeting of the Heads of state of the
Russian Federation, the Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Sochi on August
8, 2014, I have the honor to express the hope that such expressions –
inconsistent with international norms of interstate relations ‒ would not be
repeated by the head of the neighboring state.
Dr. Hayk Kotanjian
Chairman of the Political Science Association of Armenia
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
