SENATE FLOOR SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2014

A JOINT MEMORIAL

CALLING ON THE UNITED STATES ADMINISTRATION TO REINVIGORATE ITS EFFORTS AIMED AT A SWIFT RESOLUTION OF THE ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT.

     WHEREAS, the Republic of Azerbaijan is a strategic partner with the United States of America in a strategically important South Caucasus region bordering Iran, the Russian Federation and Central Asia; and

     WHEREAS, the United States of America and the Republic of Azerbaijan established diplomatic relations on February 28, 1992; and

     WHEREAS, the United States of America supports the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan; and

     WHEREAS, over the past twenty years, the United States of America and the Republic of Azerbaijan expanded their partnership and developed multifaceted cooperation on issues ranging from energy security, to the fight against international terrorism, to efforts against drug and human trafficking, to nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction; and

     WHEREAS, United States Secretary of State John Kerry stated on June 3, 2013 that "Azerbaijan has been an important partner in Afghanistan, in ISAF, and equally important with respect to the northern distribution route but also the southern gas line and other issues that are of great importance to us"; and

     WHEREAS, over the past decades, the Republic of Azerbaijan has succeeded in rebuilding its economy, has tripled its gross domestic product, is currently one of the rapidly developing economies globally and accounts for eighty percent of the gross domestic product of the South Caucasus region and is the biggest United States trade partner in the South Caucasus; and

     WHEREAS, the Republic of Azerbaijan initiated a number of strategically important trans-regional energy and transportation projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which contribute to the prosperity of not only the Republic of Azerbaijan, but also to regional allies of the United States of America like Turkey and Georgia; and

     WHEREAS, despite these positive developments, persistent protracted conflicts in the South Caucasus, including the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, continue to threaten regional peace and stability and impede further development of regional cooperation for the benefit of all three countries of the South Caucasus; and

     WHEREAS, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation, on November 2, 2008, adopted a joint declaration in which they stated that the political settlement of the conflict, on the basis of international law, will create favorable conditions for economic development and comprehensive cooperation in the region; and

     WHEREAS, the United States of America, France and the Russian Federation are Co-Chairs of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Minsk Group, tasked to facilitate negotiations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan toward a political settlement of the conflict based on the principles and norms of international law and the decisions and documents adopted by the Organization for Security and Cooperation and the applicable United Nations Security Council resolutions; and

     WHEREAS, United States President Barack Obama, on August 5, 2013, appointed Ambassador James B. Warlick, Jr., as the next United States Co-Chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Minsk Group; and

     WHEREAS, the international community, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, has stated on a number of occasions that it supports the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan and does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent entity; and

     WHEREAS, the United Nations Security Council in its resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 reaffirmed support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan and demanded the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of all Armenian forces from all of the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan; and

     WHEREAS, the international community, including such international organizations as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Non-Aligned Movement, reaffirmed support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan and recognized that the conflict should be resolved on the basis of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the strategic partnership between the United States of America and the Republic of Azerbaijan be supported; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the United States administration be requested to reinvigorate efforts aimed at a swift and just political settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the Office of the Governor, the Secretary of Cultural Affairs and the United States Secretary of State.

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