ՄԱԿ-ում ՀՀ մշտական ներկայացուցիչ, դեսպան Մհեր Մարգարյանի ելույթը` ՄԱԿ ԳԱ 79-րդ նստաշրջանի Առաջին կոմիտեի ընդհանուր քննարկմանը

15 հոկտեմբերի, 2024

Madam Chair,

I would like to congratulate you and the members of the Bureau for taking on the leadership of the First Committee and to wish you all the best in driving discussions on the international security and disarmament agenda forward.

The global security architecture continues to be increasingly affected by strategic instability, the weakening of arms control mechanisms, rising military spending, and the militarization of emerging domains. These deteriorating dynamics pose significant threats to international peace and security, underscoring the urgent need to reinforce mechanisms that prevent the risk of conflict.

A robust and effective conventional arms control regime, alongside confidence and security building measures, is essential for maintaining peace at the international, regional, and sub-regional levels. Full implementation of arms control agreements, grounded in the principles of transparency, sufficiency, verification, and limitation, is critical to ensuring military stability, predictability, and the prevention of further escalation of tensions.

Created with the purpose to ensure secure balance of conventional forces in Europe the CFE Treaty has served as a cornerstone of the European security architecture. Armenia has consistently demonstrated full compliance with its obligations under the CFE regime. Yet, time and again, we are confronted with the fact that the erosion of the security architecture and of the integrity of the arms control regime has made it possible for certain participating States, including in our immediate neighborhood, to violate the rules with impunity. For many years, Azerbaijan has systematically and, indeed, intentionally violated both the letter and spirit of the treaty, engaging in a military build-up that starkly contradicts the requirements of the CFE Treaty.

The use of destructive military force in Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2020 with subsequent armed attacks against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia, has eventually, culminated in complete ethnic cleansing and forced deportation of the indigenous Armenian people of Nagorno-Karabakh from their ancestral homeland. The attacks carried out by Azerbaijan in 2021, 2022 and 2023 inflicted losses of hundreds of human lives and led to the occupation of around 200 sq. km. of the Armenian sovereign territory. In demonstration of preparation for gradual advancement, Azerbaijan builds and fortifies new military positions, turning them into strongholds for subsequent attacks and new acts of aggression.

Armenia has been consistently expressing its concerns regarding the systematic violations of Conventional Arms Control regime in the South Caucasus. Massive accumulation of armaments, significantly exceeding of the CFE ceilings, exclusion of a large portion of armed forces from verification regime or preconditions put forward for receiving inspections all served as gradually unfolding preparations for military offensive. Such glaring violations highlight the urgent need for robust mechanisms to ensure compliance with existing arms control agreements to uphold their integrity, as failure to do so only serves to enable and embolden aggressors to continue to undermine the effectiveness of arms control and to flout commitments with impunity.

Madam Chair,

Armenia places significant emphasis on maintaining the effectiveness of existing arms reduction and disarmament regimes. We underscore the importance of the universality of key treaties and agreements, including the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), the 1925 Geneva Protocol, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards regime. The comprehensive and effective implementation of the NPT remains central to global efforts aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and technology, fostering cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and advancing the overarching goal of general and complete disarmament.

The safe use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is of utmost priority for Armenia. We value our cooperation with the IAEA, particularly through the safeguards agreements, additional protocols, and the technical assistance programme. Strengthening the global nuclear security framework and establishing effective, sustainable regimes at the national level is essential, especially in light of existing and emerging threats. Armenia is fully committed to enhancing its nuclear security regime in close collaboration with partners and the Agency.

International cooperation has been pivotal in Armenia’s efforts to improve the physical protection regime. The nuclear power plant in Armenia has undertaken several projects to bolster security in line with IAEA recommendations. We commend the dedicated efforts of the IAEA's Director General and staff in ensuring nuclear safety and security at all times. Armenia fully implements its obligations under UN Security Council Resolution 1540 through its National Action Plan, focusing on robust border control to prevent the trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials. Since 2012, we have actively collaborated with EU Centers of Excellence on CBRN Risk Reduction. Armenia is resolute in its conviction that nuclear facilities intended for peaceful purposes should never be subjected to armed attacks. Notably, this stance is underscored by Armenia's experiences of overt and undisguised threats directed at our own nuclear power plant.

As a strong supporter of non-proliferation, Armenia is committed to the full implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention. We continuously strengthen our national capacities in biological safety and security in collaboration with international partners. At the multilateral level, we contribute to initiatives aimed at enhancing the Convention’s mechanisms, including investigating the misuse of biological agents and addressing potential infectious disease outbreaks. Armenia unequivocally condemns the use of chemical weapons and emphasizes the OPCW's vital role in advancing the Chemical Weapons Convention. Any alleged use of chemical weapons must be investigated impartially and comprehensively in strict compliance with the Convention.

As a subscribing state to the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCoC), Armenia values its role in curbing ballistic missile proliferation and promoting international peace and security, consistently submitting timely annual declarations to uphold the Code's principles of transparency and confidence-building.

Madam Chair,

Unchecked military buildups, especially those accompanied by open threats, represent clearly detectable warning signs of a risk of escalation and, as such, should be closely monitored and assessed by international structures. Armenia reiterates its strong dedication to global efforts in disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control. In this context, we place great emphasis on the universal and full implementation of legally binding international obligations, effective national measures, and transparent, results-oriented international cooperation.

I thank you.

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