A/HRC/29/11 117. Armenia valued the protection and promotion of political, social and cultural rights. Armenia outlined the value it attached to the United Nations human rights instruments and the empowerment of people with the right to self-determination. The violent suppression of that right had been the cause of many conflicts and its realization was essential for conflict resolution. Armenia has been supporting the right of peoples to self-determination, particularly in cases in which peoples’ physical survival was at stake. It would continue that support, including in the framework of negotiations under the auspices of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, recalling that all OSCE members had accepted that the right of peoples to self-determination should be among the key principles of conflict resolution in the OSCE 2009 Ministerial Council statement. 118. Armenia had always believed that the UPR could strengthen cooperation and avoid confrontations. While it was true that, to a certain extent, conflicts could impede the realization of certain human rights, it was also true that improvements to human rights protection could contribute to conflict resolution. Armenia had never tried to justify setbacks by invoking conflict situations. It recalled that it had accepted a large number of recommendations at the first UPR from one particular neighbouring State, but that goodwill had not been appreciated and at the second UPR, the same State had rejected its recommendations. Armenia reminded the meeting that the national report was its own and it naturally expressed the Government’s official position on each issue, including on historic issues and geographical names. 119. Armenia demonstrated its readiness to engage in human rights cooperation with all countries, highly valuing the UPR. Armenia thanked the Member States for their encouragement, constructive and useful dialogue and recommendations. Armenia would incorporate the outcome of the review into the systematic protection of human rights in the country. II. Conclusions and/or recommendations 120. The following recommendations will be examined by Armenia, which will provide responses in due time, but no later than the 29th session of the Human Rights Council in June 2015: 120.1. Ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), aiming at the abolition of the death penalty (Costa Rica) (Turkey); 120.2. Ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty (Montenegro); 120.3. Accede to Second Optional Protocol to ICCPR, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty (Estonia); 120.4. Ratify the Second Optional Protocol to ICCPR, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty, and adopt all the required internal legislative measures to proceed as soon as possible with the ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC (Italy); 120.5. Ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and accept its mechanisms of inquiry and communications (Uruguay); ** The conclusions and recommendations have not been edited. 14