Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ARMENIAN CAUCUS PROTESTS AZERBAIJANI THREATS AGAINST ARMENIA
— Seventy-two U.S. Representatives Call on President
Bush to Condemn Baku’s Increasingly Violent Rhetoric
WASHINGTON, DC – Seventy members of the U.S. House of
Representatives joined last week with the Co-Chairmen of the
Congressional Armenian Caucus, Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI), in calling on President George Bush to press
Azerbaijan to back away from increasingly violent rhetoric aimed at
Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, reported the Armenian National
Committee Of America (ANCA).
“We share the concerns raised by this bipartisan group of U.S.
legislators regarding the growing danger to Armenia – and to
American interests – posed by the increasingly angry threats coming
from Azerbaijan’s senior leadership,” said ANCA Executive Director
Aram Hamparian. “Armenian Americans appreciate the leadership of
Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg and Frank Pallone on
this issue, and look forward to learning of the Administrations
response to Azerbaijan’s irresponsible and dangerous behavior.”
In the letter, dated October 8th, Members of Congress specifically
asked President Bush to publicly condemn Azerbaijan’s war rhetoric
and other increasingly bellicose remarks against the Republic of
Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh. The letter, states, in part:
“Efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict are
in the best interests of the United States and the region. The
Nagorno Karabagh peace process will achieve nothing if Azerbaijan
is allowed to risk war and predict ethnic cleansing with impunity.
To this end, we urge that you condemn these remarks and call upon
the government of Azerbaijan to desist in making any further
threats against Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.”
Joining Reps. Knollenberg and Pallone were: Gary Ackerman (D-NY),
Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Shelley Berkley (D-
NV), Howard Berman (D-CA), Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), Jeb Bradley
(R-NH), Michael Capuano (D-MA), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), John Conyers
(D-MI), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Rosa DeLauro
(D-CT), Jim DeMint (R-SC), Vernon Ehlers (R-MI), Anna Eshoo (D-CA),
Tom Feeney (R-FL), Bob Filner (D-CA), Mark Foley (R-FL), Barney
Frank (D-MA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Michael
Honda (D-CA), Steve Israel (D-NY), Jesse Jackson (D-IL), Sue Kelly
(R-NY), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Gerald Kleczka
(D-WI), James Langevin (D-RI), Sander Levin (D-MI), Nita Lowey (D-
NY), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Edward Markey
(D-MA), Karen McCarthy (D-MO), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Thaddeus
McCotter (R-MI), James McGovern (D-MA), Michael McNulty (D-NY),
Martin Meehan (D-MA), Candice Miller (R-MI), James Moran (D-VA),
Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Devin Nunes (R-CA), Collin Peterson (D-
MN), Jon Porter (R-NV), David Price (D-NC), George Radanovich (R-
CA), Mike Rogers (R-MI), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Lucille Roybal-
Allard (D-CA), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), H. James
Saxton (R-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), E. Clay Shaw (R-FL), Christopher
Shays (R-CT), Brad Sherman (D-CA), John Shimkus (R-IL), Mark Souder
(R-IN), John Sweeney (R-NY), Stephanie Tubbs-Jones (D-OH), Fred
Upton (R-MI), Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Visclosky (D-
IN), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Joe Wilson (R-SC),
and Albert Wynn (D-MD).
The ANCA, in a September 28th note to Congressional offices in
support of this letter, wrote: “If history is any guide, silence on
our part will only embolden the leadership in Baku to escalate
their rhetoric even further. Left unchecked, we run the risk that
the Azerbaijani government will translate their angry remarks into
aggressive actions that will create a humanitarian disaster and
destablize a region of great strategic importance to the United
States.”
On September 28th, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) spoke on the House
floor about the dangers posed by increasingly inflammatory
Azerbaijani statements by President Ilham Aliyev and his Cabinet
Members, calling for a military takeover of neighboring Armenia and
the decimation of its population in the coming decades. In his
remarks, Rep. Pallone cited statements “made by officials in the
government of President Aliyev calling into question the very
existence of Armenia. For example, as reported by Radio Free
Europe, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman called for
Azerbaijan’s takeover of the entire territory of Armenia and
removal of the entire Armenian population from the Caucasus. He
went so far as to say, and I quote, ‘Within the next 25 years there
will exist no state of Armenia in the South Caucasus.’ Given
Azerbaijan’s history of aggression against Armenians, these remarks
can’t be dismissed as mere rhetoric.”
The text of the Congressional letter is provided below.
#####
Dear Mr. President,
We are writing to strongly urge you to condemn the ongoing
Azerbaijani war rhetoric and other increasingly bellicose remarks
made against the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh. These
statements undermine U.S. interests in the region.
As you know, a cease-fire in the conflict over Nagorno Karabagh was
established in 1994 and sensitive peace negotiations to achieve a
final agreement are ongoing. However, the government of Azerbaijan
continues to make dangerous claims and threaten war against
Armenia. This war rhetoric has continued unabated and has
intensified in recent months.
In July, as reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman called for Azerbaijan’s
takeover of Armenia and removing its entire population. He said,
“In the next 25-30 years there will be no Armenian state in the
South Caucasus. This nation has been a nuisance for its neighbors
and has no right to live in this region. Present-day Armenia was
built on historical Azerbaijani lands. I believe that in 25 to 30
years these territories will once again come under Azerbaijan’s
jurisdiction.” Mr. President, this reprehensible call for ethnic
cleansing and even genocide warrants the strongest possible reply
from our country.
The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has repeatedly declared
that Azerbaijan could launch a new war in Karabagh. Just two
months ago, he stated, “At any moment we must be able to liberate
our territories by military means. To achieve this we have
everything.” Aliyev has directly linked Azerbaijan’s economic
progress to its military “superiority.” “Under these circumstances
we cannot react positively to those calling us to compromise,”
Aliyev stated.
Last year, as reported by BBC Monitoring, Azerbaijani Defense
Minister General Safar Abiyev said that occasional violations of
the cease-fire were “natural” since Azerbaijan is still “at war.”
Statements like this not only undermine the peace process, but can
also serve to actually encourage attacks against Armenia.
Just this month, NATO cancelled its Cooperative Best Effort (CBE)
2004 exercises in Baku, Azerbaijan after the government of
Azerbaijan barred Armenia from participating. U.S. General James
Jones, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, expressed
regret over Azerbaijan’s refusal to honor its host obligations to
accept delegates from all interested partners. As part of its
commitment to international security in the Caucasus, Armenia
welcomed both Azerbaijan and Turkey to participate in the NATO CBE
2003 exercises in Yerevan, Armenia.
Efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict are
in the best interests of the United States and the region. The
Nagorno Karabakh peace process will achieve nothing if Azerbaijan
is allowed to risk war and predict ethnic cleansing with impunity.
To this end, we urge that you condemn these remarks and call upon
the government of Azerbaijan to desist from making any further
threats against Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.
Sincerely,