HRC 53th Session: Item 3 – Interactive Dialogue with the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Respect to Human Rights - Embassy of Armenia to Switzerland and Permanent Mission of Armenia to the UN office at Geneva

HRC 53th Session: Item 3 – Interactive Dialogue with the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Respect to Human Rights

27 June, 2023

Delivered by Marianna Manucharyan, Human Rights Officer

Mr. President,

We thank the Working group for presenting this progressive report. It was useful to examine the Working group’s findings on the persistent lack of understanding and knowledge among various stakeholders on the issue at stake.

We concur with the Working group that capacity building is a key to foster the gradual implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. We took careful note of the important recommendations presented by the report in this regard.

Armenia, as a country affected by continued security threat, is making all the efforts to build adequate capacity for the business enterprises operating in such complex environment.

Whereas, in parallel, Azerbaijan among other civilian infrastructure, directly targets businesses operating in the bordering regions of Armenia. A vivid example of this is the continuing fire at a construction site of a factory built by a foreign investment in Armenia, as a result of which recently two non-Armenian civilian employees sustained injuries.

Conversely, we remain committed to the effective and non-discriminatory implementation of the UN Guiding Principles with due regard to the different risks that may arise for business operations in a conflict affected areas.

I thank you.

1^st Right of Reply

President,

Armenia requested the floor to exercise its right of reply to Azerbaijan

For more than three decades Azerbaijan has refused to recognize the human rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and has constantly resorted to jus ad bellum violations largely without any adequate international reaction for that.

Those three decades of conflict Azerbaijan has violated the international humanitarian law and human rights obligations. On numerous cases Azerbaijan directly targeted business entities both in Armenia and in Nagorno-Karabakh.

One of the vivid examples has been the efforts to hinder business activities of Jermuk city of the Republic of Armenia. Jermuk is a mountain spa town and one of the renowned recovery resorts of the entire region. On the night of 12-13 September 2022 Azerbaijan launched an attack against Jermuk targeting civilian population and infrastructure. As a major resort city during the high season period, the businesses operating in Jermuk have suffered severe financial loses. Not even to mention that the world leading Jean Pictet competition on international laws of armed conflict, planned to be held in Jermuk in February 2023, has been canceled paradoxically because of the Azerbaijani offensive.

Another example that deserves a particular attention is the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan, which not only has led to inhuman suffering of more than 120.000 people, but also heavily affected the business operations. As a result, fundamental economic and social rights of thousands of individuals have been infringed. An estimated 11,000 people have lost their jobs and sources of income, representing more than 60% of the private sector workers. Azerbaijan opens fire at the agricultural fields and farms in Nagorno-Karabakh almost on a daily basis with a clear aim of depriving the people from their means of subsistence.

Meanwhile, it comes to a great surprise when Azerbaijan refers to alleged environmental and ecosystem damages given the fact that some of its own infrastructure, for example Sangachal Terminal, leaves irreversible environmental damage within and beyond its borders. Azerbaijan spares no effort to extinguish any kind of environmental movements while sending pseudo environmentalists to block the Lachin corridor.

Moreover, yet in 2020, during its aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan used incendiary weapons, in particular white phosphorus, deliberately targeting environment. This was a clear act of ecocide.

I thank you.

2^nd Right of Reply

Mr. President,

Armenia makes this statement in response to the groundless allegations of Azerbaijan.

One of such allegations is on purported use of landmines by Armenia. Any such statement coming from a country that itself has not acceded to Anti-personal mine ban convention sounds nothing less than a hollow propaganda. For years Azerbaijan has hindered the work of humanitarian organizations, including on mine clearance in Nagorno-Karabakh. The ICJ has twice unanimously rejected claims of Azerbaijan against Armenia on alleged use of the landmines. As a gesture of good will Armenia provided to Azerbaijan all maps of the minefields. This humanitarian action was not reciprocated by Azerbaijan.

The use of discriminatory language in school textbooks against Armenians was highlighted in the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) recent report on Azerbaijan. ECRI reported and (I quote) “ECRI is deeply concerned that the use of hate speech linked to the long-lasting conflict and confrontations with neighboring country Armenia, has been observed among young people in and outside schools and could eventually provide a breeding ground for further hostilities”. ECRI further recommends that the Azerbaijani authorities adopt suitable measures in their educational system with a view to tackling all forms of racism and intolerance, as well as remove any discriminatory content from school textbooks.

Likewise, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in its concluding observations on Azerbaijan also expressed concern about reports that school textbooks promote prejudice and incite racial hatred, particularly against ethnic Armenians.

I thank you.

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