Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry: UN international court's advisory opinion relates to Kosovo

"Azerbaijan recognizes the territorial integrity of Serbia and is committed to this position," Polukhov said.

As to the advisory of the UN International Court of Justice, it only applies to the Kosovo case, he said.

The settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is carried out under the OSCE mandate within the Minsk Group. Azerbaijan continues to negotiate in the same format. On Thursday, Chairman of the UN International Court of Justice Hisashi Owada (Japan) issued an advisory opinion at a public meeting in the Hague.

The International Court is the principal judicial organ of the UN, which is competent to consider disputes between countries and make advisory opinions on any legal question at the request of the General Assembly or the UN Security Council.

Its advisory opinions have no compulsory power, as opposed to the decisions of the UN International Court, but may cause political consequences.

He said that the declaration of independence by Kosovo in February 2008 has not violated the international law. Albanian authorities in Kosovo unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo from Serbia supported by the U.S. and several EU countries Feb. 17, 2008. It was recognized by 69 of 192 UN member-countries.

Serbia, as well as Russia, China, India and several other influential countries refused from recognizing Kosovo.

Kosovo was under UN administration and KFOR international force led by NATO since summer of 1999 in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 1244. The UN Security Council Resolution 1244 confirms the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (now Serbia), and also calls for a decision on Kosovo's final status.


/Trend/