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INTERNATIONAL

part of the United Nations, but on certain occasions Being elected was an expression of great trust being
they have the luxury of relying on their own vision of placed in the foreign policy of Azerbaijan, and we tried to
the world. If their own vision contradicts that of others, be worthy of this trust. Thus, these two years of Security
they may act in a very specific way that does not follow Council membership were a very serious test, most of all
international regulations - international law. Let's be for ourselves, to show our ability and our responsibility in
frank and honest. the field of foreign relations, and in particular within the
United Nations. I think we passed this test very well.
Out of 193 member states, the majority are countries like
Azerbaijan, trying to make this institution better than During these 25 years we have also been members of
it is today. Sometimes critical voices are quite loud, and other important United Nations institutions and elected
this should not be misinterpreted as undermining the bodies, like the Human Right Council. We were in the
organization - on the contrary. Our critical voices should be Council from 2006 to 2009. My predecessor was the
taken in a constructive way. The aim is to make the system vice-president of the Human Rights Council. Today
more functional, more operational so that it can respond we are members of the United Nations Economic and
better to the needs of the majority of the member states. Social Council (ECOSOC) and a number of other UN
institutions in Geneva.
That is why the 25-year anniversary of our membership
was marked by recognizing the importance of the United Here in the Geneva, I have had the honour and privilege
Nations, recognizing the importance and primacy of of being elected a member of the Human Rights Council's
international law. It was also an important internal Consultative Group, and a member of the UNCTAD
learning process for us, as all of our legislation, rules Advisory Group on the Strengthening of Training Capacity
and regulations have been changed to correspond to and Human Resources Development. I'm also the vice-
our commitments within the United Nations and to the chairperson of the International Labour Organisation's
requirements of international law. Governing Body's Government Group. This is a serious
matter of confidence placed in Azerbaijan by our partners,
I am deliberately putting aside our membership in the and we do our best to respond accordingly.
regional organisations such OSCE, Council of Europe,
OIC, NAM. This is another story, because the United In recognition of the 25th anniversary of our membership
Nations is a global organisation. in the United Nations, Azerbaijan presented a gift to the
United Nations Office in Geneva, a monument presented
With regard to reaching our 25th anniversary, perhaps the on 3 October last year called "Thoughts and Desires" by
most important feature of our membership so far, in my famous Azerbaijani sculptors Salhab Mammadov and
opinion, has been our Security Council membership in Ali Ibadullayev. It was inaugurated in the presence of
2011-2013. There were lots of bumps on the road to getting Director-General Michael Moller, our Deputy Prime-
elected to it. It was a very serious exam for us, and it was Minister and the Minister of Culture, and members of the
not easy. There were several rounds of votes. Altogether UN diplomatic community.
there were four other countries contending in our regional
group, but we were able to overcome these difficulties, and This year we are celebrating another big event - the 100th
we were elected by 155 votes in the final round. anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijani

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