Arms control and non-proliferation
CFE and VD-99
The Republic of Azerbaijan is a member to all relevant conventional arms control treaties and agreements. It adhered to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe as well as to the Vienna Document in 1992.
In 1999 Azerbaijan signed the Adapted CFE Treaty as well as the Document on Small Arms and Light Weapons. It continues to fulfill its various obligations in information exchanges.
The Republic of Azerbaijan participates in the comprehensive exchange of information on its Armed Forces, receives inspections from the participating states and conducts inspections in the participating states in order to provide transparency.
Azerbaijan signed the Adapted CFE Treaty in 1999 at the Istanbul Summit. The ratification of this Treaty by the Republic of Azerbaijan will take place when the participating states implement their commitments. It remains concerned about the current delay of coming into force of this treaty.
The provisions of the Vienna Document are intended to be used in peace time. Their full implementation under the conditions of the unsettled conflict in and around Nagorny Karabakh remains difficult.
The Republic of Azerbaijan remains concerned that all related arms control provisions cannot be applied within the 20% of the territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan occupied by the Armenian Armed Forces. A great number of equipment and armaments deployed in these territories is out of control, and poses a serious threat to peace in the region. With the assistance of International organizations, the Republic of Azerbaijan continues its efforts towards the withdrawal of these forces from those territories and the appropriate reduction of the related equipment and armaments.
SALW
Azerbaijan fully shares international community's opinion that illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons represents a grave threat to overall security and stability. Easy availability of small arms coupled with their damaging capacity makes them a serious challenge that the international community has to face in the new millennium.
There is no doubt that SALW problem is of a special relevance to the South Caucasus region. Flows of SALW to zones of conflicts seriously undermine the prospects for their negotiated settlement and have a negative impact on confidence between neighboring states.
Azerbaijan is convinced that increased transparency in small arms sales could significantly contribute to the security in the South Caucasus region.
Azerbaijan has repeatedly drawn the attention of the international community to the illegal transfers of a huge amount of weapons from Russia to Armenia after the ceasefire in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict was agreed in May 1994. Finally, all these weapons turn out to be deployed in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Situation in the region of the conflict is complicated by the fact that as a result of the occupation, 130 kilometres of Azerbaijan's state borders with Iran are currently controlled by the occupants. Occupied territories of Azerbaijan, including Nagorno-Karabakh have become a "free-zone" for terrorist and criminal smuggling activity, and are used for illegal trade and transfers of various materials, including small arms and drugs in particular.
Azerbaijan has been engaged in pursuing the SALW proliferation problem in international organizations. At regional level Azerbaijan puts every effort to strengthen cooperation with regional states to jointly tackle the illicit trafficking of any kind. Azerbaijan develops such cooperation in the multilateral framework with the GUUAM countries.
Since 2000 the Republic of Azerbaijan fulfils its obligations on production, stockpiling, transfer and registration of small arms and light weapons and participates in the annual exchange of information.
Azerbaijan stresses that the efficient regime to curtail proliferation of SALW in the South Caucasus could be possible only when all countries in the region demonstrate respect for international law, renounce territorial claims to their neighbors and stop their support to separatists and terrorists.
Non-proliferation
The Republic of Azerbaijan regards combating proliferation of weapons of mass destruction as one of the priorities of its foreign and security policy. It has signed and ratified the relevant international documents such as the NPT and CTBT and supports the efforts of the international community to complement existing mechanisms against ballistic missile proliferation.
Azerbaijan intends to facilitate effectively the prevention of proliferation of nuclear weapons in all its aspects, the process of nuclear disarmament, leading to the achievement of the final goal of full liquidation of nuclear weapons, and thus, to further strengthening of international peace and security. Azerbaijan also intends to be actively involved in the efforts of the international community aimed at providing a full implementation of the international regime on nuclear security. The existence of nuclear weapons, components and technologies in its wider neighborhood obliges Azerbaijan to actively participate in the implementation of all related agreements.
Situated at the major communication crossroads between the East and the West and the North and the South, in potentially turbulent and conflict region, the Republic of Azerbaijan undertakes all necessary practical and legislative measures to prevent possible transfers through its territory of all components, materials and technology related to weapons of mass destruction, as well as means of their delivery.
With a view to the geo-strategic location of this region and on-going conflicts the President of Azerbaijan had launched in 1997 the initiative to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the South Caucasus at the International Conference in Tashkent. Azerbaijan reiterates its call upon the international community to support this endeavor.
Unfortunately, the major hurdle to implement this as well as other international efforts on nuclear non-proliferation is the "frozen conflict" in the region and the continued occupation of 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan by Armenia. As a result of this occupation the significant parts of the territory and international borders are not under the control of the Government, and this in its turn increases the danger of illegal trafficking of nuclear materials in a still unstable region.
The work on prevention of proliferation of nuclear weapons and illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials is carried out at present by the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan and State Border Services. For the conduct of strict control over the transit of goods, there is a necessity to provide border customs points with modern technology. In this regard appropriate actions are carried out within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In this connection, the Republic of Azerbaijan submitted to the Agency within the framework of the Technical Co-operation Program of the Agency the project for 2003-2004 titled "The struggle against illicit trafficking of radioactive materials".
Chemical Weapons Convention
It was recommended to sign the Convention on 47th UN General Assemble in 1992. The signing ceremony was opened in Paris by the initiative of the President of France on January 13, 1993. For the past period 160 states, including Azerbaijan (January 13, 1993), signed the Convention. After ratification by Hungary, 65th state, on April 29, 1997 the Convention put into force. There are many European states, USA, Russia, some CIS countries including Armenia (27.01.95) and Georgia (27.11.95) among the states which ratified the Convention. Azerbaijan joined the Convention on November 9, 1999, and it came into effect for Azerbaijan on March 30, 2000.
The Organization for the prohibition of chemical weapons functions in The Hague. Near to The Hague in Reisvick the OPCW laboratory was opened.
On April 1997 the first Conference of State Parties was held.
Each State Party to the Convention undertakes never and in no circumstances to develop, produce, obtain and stockpile the chemical weapons. The Convention calls for the full destruction of the chemical weapons and its production during the period of 2-10 years. Together with armaments the Convention calls for the destruction of toxic chemicals and its precursors except for the cases of their usage not prohibited under the Convention, for peaceful means, namely for industrial, agricultural, pharmaceutical, medical and other means. All chemicals listed in the Convention, irrespective of their background or production and which may hurt man or animals, refer to the toxic chemicals. That is why civil production facilities which produce such kind of chemicals fall under the control of the Convention.
To check the correspondence of activity of these facilities to the commitments under the Convention each State Party to the Convention submits these facilities on its territory as well as chemicals and their precursors produced and kept on the territory of the State to verification. For this case planned inspections and on-site "unexpected" inspections are held.
The Convention is perpetual. At the same time each State Party to the Convention is entitled to denounce the Convention if it decides that "extraordinary events that concerns the subject of the Convention put in jeopardy the most important interests of a State."
On May 9, 2000 the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Brussels Mr. M-G. Efendijev was appointed the Resident Representative of Azerbaijan to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
On July 15, 2000 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan was assigned as the National Coordinating body to the OPCW.
On November 24-28, 2003 the National Training Course on Protection was conducted in Baky for national experts in this field. That was the first course in the framework of the abovementioned Organization conducted in Azerbaijan.
The main topics which were discussed during the theoretical part of the course and applied during its practical part were:
- Assistance and protection against Chemical Weapons, Article 10 of the Convention;
- Chemical weapons risks, its types and effects
- Protective equipment for civil population (its usage was demonstrated practically);
- Forces protective equipment;
- Medication Prophylaxis and therapy procedures;
- Industrial Chemical Accident, monitoring and detection;
- Handling of equipment and procedures (practical work);
- Demonstration "Disaster Relief" (practical work);
There were representatives from Cabinet of Ministers, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of National Security, Ministry of Internal Affairs, State Customs Committee, State Border Service, National Academy of Sciences and "Azerchimya" State Concern.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Since 1957, the International Atomic Energy Agency serves as the world's intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical cooperation in the peaceful utilization of nuclear energy. Its principal objectives under its Statute are "to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world" and "ensure, so far as it is able, that assistance provided by it or at its request or under its supervision or control is not used in such a way as to further any military purpose".
The IAEA pursues those objectives by - among other things - promoting the transfer of nuclear technology and know-how, encouraging the creation of an international culture of safety and reliability in the utilization of nuclear energy, safeguarding nuclear materials so as to ensure that they are used exclusively for peaceful purposes and disseminating information on peaceful uses of nuclear technology. As of this present date, 132 countries are now members of the IAEA.
Structure and Staff of the IAEA
The structure of the IAEA is as follows: the General Conference, which is composed of representatives of all Member States and meets for a one-week session every year; the Board of Governors, which normally holds four to five sessions each year, but has to be ready to meet at short notice at any time; and the Director General, who is the chief executive authority of the IAEA's Secretariat. The Secretariat is charged with the responsibility of implementing the IAEA's programme.
The Professional Staff of the IAEA is a multicultural group of experts recruited from the Member States. Nevertheless, IAEA staff members are international civil servants who owe allegiance solely to the IAEA and are required not to accept instructions from any government or other national authority. Most staff members are stationed at the IAEA's Headquarters in Vienna and at supporting scientific laboratories in Seibersdorf, near Vienna. A small number are stationed at a liaison office at United Nations Headquarters in New York and at a liaison office in Geneva. Other staff members are stationed at regional offices in Tokyo and Toronto and at the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratory in Monaco.
In the framework of the IAEA, the countries are divided into 5 groups: Africa, Latin America, Eastern Asia and Pacific Ocean, Western Asia and Europe.
The work of the IAEA is carried out through six Departments:
- Technical cooperation
- Nuclear energy
- Nuclear safety
- Administration
- Research and Isotopes
- Safeguards
Technical cooperation
The Department of Technical Cooperation (TC) develops effective programmes aimed at improving the scientific and technological capabilities of developing countries in peaceful applications of nuclear technology and contributing to sustainable development. The Department provides expert services, equipment and training.
Nuclear Energy
Professionals of this Department assist countries in assessing and implementing projects in the use of nuclear energy. They give advice on the technical, economic and financial requirements for sound and safe nuclear power projects and energy planning in general. They are extensively involved in activities related to the improvement of reactor technologies and future design concepts.
Nuclear Safety
The Nuclear Safety Department contributes to efforts to achieve and maintain a high level of nuclear safety through the enhancement of national measures and international cooperation by the preparation of safety standards and by assisting Member States in implementing these standards. The Department promotes safe management practices and control of environmental releases of radioactive waste and the safety of the transport of radioactive materials in general.
Administration
Professionals at this Department formulate, implement and administer personnel programmes or prepare, administer and control the IAEA's annual budget and financial expenditures. The translators and revisers provide translations into the official languages of the IAEA. Other services include procurement, engineering, records maintenance and communications.
Research and Isotopes
Professionals at this Department are involved in programme activities related to nuclear technologies and their applications at solving practical problems related to food production and safety, human and nutrition, industry, water and environment.
Safeguards
The IAEA - through its safeguards - verifies that Member States are complying with their commitments to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes only and ensures that no nuclear materials are being diverted for military purposes and that no clandestine nuclear activities are being undertaken. The IAEA's inspectors carry out inspections at nuclear facilities of Member States each year.
Azerbaijan - IAEA relations
From 1995 the representatives of our Republic take part in extra-mural courses and seminars held in the IAEA framework.
With the aim of establishing the legal basis of cooperation between the IAEA and Azerbaijan, in November 6, 1998 in Vienna our Republic signed the Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol to it. This document was ratified by Milli Mejlis in March 23, 1999 and approved by the President in April 15 of this year.
In April 20, 2000 the Prime Minister of our Republic submitted the membership application to the General Director of the IAEA. According to this application, the inclusion of Azerbaijan in the European group of the IAEA was requested. In June 5-9, 2000 in Vienna the request of Azerbaijan was approved at the meeting of the Board of Governors and adopted in General Conference.
In July 5, 2000 during the visit of the President of Azerbaijan in Vienna, Azerbaijan signed the 2nd Additional Protocol of the Safeguards Agreement and it came into the force for Azerbaijan in November 29, 2000.
The following issues are of interest of the Republic of Azerbaijan:
- research of radioactive sources and wastes, financing of projects and programmes on isolation and releases;
- provision with appropriate equipment for the purposes mentioned above;
- application of nuclear technologies in different spheres of economics, scientific and technical researches;
- training of national experts (courses, seminars and etc.).
The Republic of Azerbaijan presented to the IAEA four national projects in the framework of Technical Cooperation Programme for the period of 2003-2004 and they were approved by the Agency:
- Project on combating illegal trafficking of radioactive materials;
- Project on improvement of means of radiological treatment in the field of oncology;
- Project on conducting of radiation monitoring;
- Project on connection to the information systems on usage of nuclear energy by peaceful means.
On September 16-20, 2002 during the 46th IAEA General Assembly the revised additional Agreement on rendering technical assistance to Azerbaijan was signed by our Republic.
On November 26-30, 2002 in the framework of the project titled "Physical protection of nuclear materials" the first national training course "Combating illegal trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials" was conducted in Baky. Representatives of State Customs Committee, Ministry of National Security, Ministry of Internal Affairs and other relevant organizations participated at this course.
The documents adopted by Azerbaijan:
- the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers, dated by July 11, 1997, about measures aimed at reinforcement of control over the radioactive safety on the territory of Azerbaijan;
- the act of the Republic of Azerbaijan, dated by December 30, 1997, about the radioactive safety of population;
- the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers, dated by March 10, 1998, about approval of Licensing Rules on explosive materials and equipment, radioactive and ionizing sources, use of equipment, and their storage in industry.
Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)
On September 1996 UN Assembly adopted draft treaty. From September 24, 1996 the Treaty is open for signing. Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization was established by States Signatories in November 19, 1996.
As of this present date, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty has been signed by 160 and ratified by 75 States, including 31 of the 44 States whose ratification is required for entry into force.
There are hereby established as organs of the Organization: the Conference of the States Parties, the Executive Council and the Technical Secretariat.
Preparatory Commission consists of 3 subsidiary organs:
- Working group A - administrative and budget matters;
- Working group B - control matters of testing;
- Consultative group - expert assessment on finance, budget and administrative matters.
In order to control the implementation of the Treaty, a verification regime was established:
- An International Monitoring System;
- An International Data Center;
- Consultation and Clarification;
- On-site inspections; and
- Confidence-building measures.
An International Monitoring System
The main goal of IMS is to identify any nuclear explosion. IMS consists of 50 main and 120 subsidiary seismic, 80 radionuclide, 60 infrasound and 11 hydro-acoustics stations.
An International Data Center
IMS shall receive, collect, process, analyse, report on and archive data from International Monitoring System facilities, including the results of analysis conducted at certified laboratories.
Consultation and Clarification
The main goal of this component of verification regime is to solve any problem through consultations with States Parties before the conduct an on-site inspection. In that case the clarification is to be provided by a respective State Party during 48 hours.
On-site inspections
If the resolution of the problem mentioned above was not achieved through consultations, any State Party has the right to request the Organization to conduct an on-site inspection.
Confidence-building measures
In accordance with these measures, if there is a nuclear explosion on the territory of any State Party, exceeding the appropriate degree, this State Party must send the information about these explosions to the Technical Secretariat voluntarily.
CTBTO - Azerbaijan relations
Azerbaijan signed Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) on July 28, 1997 and ratified it on February 2, 1999. So, Azerbaijan became the third among the Eastern European countries, which ratified the Treaty. On June 30, 2000 the Institute of Geology under the Academy of Science was assigned to be a National Informational Center to CTBTO and on July 15, 2000 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was assigned to be a National coordinating body to CTBTO.
From 1997 the representatives of our Republic take part in extra-mural courses and seminars held in the CTBTO framework.
Azerbaijan joined CTBT, taking into consideration the importance of the role that the Treaty plays in the world and in the regional security system, its location in a very sensitive region, and due to its special interests, Azerbaijan intends to facilitate effectively the prevention of proliferation of nuclear weapons in all its aspects, the process of nuclear disarmament, leading to the achievement of the final goal of full liquidation of nuclear weapons, and thus, to further strengthening of international peace and security.
In November 25-30, 2001 Rashad Kebeasy, Director of International Data Center, and Robert Ricker, Chief of Global Communication Infrastructure Division of IDC visited the Republic of Azerbaijan. The purpose of this mission was to hold discussions on the technical capabilities of the National Data Center of the Republic of Azerbaijan and discussions on the Global Communication Infrastructure connection from the IDC to the NDC (issuing of license for operation of VSAT).
Findings and recommendation of the guests: installation of new software, including equipment upgrades, supplied by the Provisional Technical Secretary; necessity of additional training for the NDC staff on the operation and use of the NDC software; installation of VSAT antenna in the NDC; authorization the Institute of Geology by the Ministry of Communication to obtain a license to operate a VSAT, and allowance of HOT (British Company) to install and maintain the VSAT equipment.
On January 22-25, 2001 Hong Lai Chang, the Head of International Cooperation Division, and Murad Tajati, the Head of International Relations Division, visited Baky.
The main objective of the visit was:
- Exchange of opinions concerning the preparation of interregional seminar titled "International Cooperation and national implementation/ratification procedures in the framework of CTBTO" that was planned to be held in Istanbul on May 21-24, 2001;
- Conducting of national/regional seminar in Baky;
- Visit of V.Hoffmann to Baky.
Results of that visit were:
- Participation of the representatives of our Republic at the seminar to be held in Istanbul;
- Conducting of National Capacity Building Seminar in Baky;
- Participation of V.Hoffmann at the opening session of this seminar;
- To propose conducting of interregional seminar in Baky in 2002 during the seminar to be held in Instanbul;
On June 4-6, 2002 National Capacity Building Seminar was conducted in Baky.
At this seminar representatives from Cabinet of Ministers, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Security, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Communication, Ministry of Justice, State Technical Control Committee and National Academy of Sciences.
During this seminar the following main topics were discussed:
- Preparation of national legislation and normative acts;
- Activity of National Data Center (Institute of Geology of National Academy of Sciences);
- Assignment of relevant organizations in national system and coordination of their activities;
- Training of national cadres and their improvement;
- Improvement of national technological capability;
- Conception of the Treaty, its role the system of international security;
- International cooperation in the field of safety;
- Measures on early entry into force of the Treaty;
- Verification regime and technology related to that;
- International monitoring system, international and national data centers;
- Joining to international monitoring system in Azerbaijan and its activity;
On March 25-27, 2003 international seminar titled "Internation seminar on CTBTO for Middle Asia and Caucasus countries" was conducted in Baky.
There are two main objectives of this seminar:
- Universality of the Treaty by facilitating ratification procedures by the states which signed the Treaty;
- To render assistance in implementing obligations in compliance with the Treaty to countries which signed it.
During the seminar the following topics were discussed:
- The role of the Treaty in international disarmament system;
- Initial entry into force of the Treaty;
- National measures concerning implementation of the Treaty;
- Improvement of international scientific cooperation in the framework of the Treaty.
This seminar was successfully conducted. The seminar was opened by the Executive Secretary of the Organization Mr. V. Hoffmann.
