WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the Armenian Assembly of America’s (Assembly) letter to United States Secretary of State John Kerry, Co-Chairmen Anthony Barsamian and Van Krikorian stated that Azerbaijan cannot be trusted and “must be held accountable for its egregious human rights violations.” “President’s Aliyev and Erdogan are very much responsible for [the] bloodshed and the failure to reach just peace,” the Assembly’s letter continued.
The Assembly called for Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act to be fully enforced. “There can be no U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan unless and until it ceases all military hostilities against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh and agrees to a path for a peaceful and just resolution of the conflict. Anything less risks further escalation and full-scale war,” Co-Chairs Barsamian and Krikorian emphasized.
“The Armenian Assembly fully supports the governments of Armenia and Artsakh and their right to self-defense as they confront this full scale and unprecedented assault by Azerbaijan,” stated Barsamian and Krikorian. “We also embrace yesterday’s statement by President Sargsyan to the Ambassadors of OSCE countries.”
The Assembly letter to Secretary Kerry also highlighted the need for real, effective U.S. action and strengthening the OSCE Minsk Group peace process. “The current situation demands much more than condemnation – a robust and immediate response from the United States is needed to stop the pattern,” the Assembly letter states.
Further, the Assembly indicated that the Nagorno Karabakh Republic “should resume its place as a negotiating party in the Minsk process and its officials be allowed to travel to Washington and other countries freely.”
Barsamian and Krikorian stated that Armenia and Karabakh “deserve our full support in defending themselves” and recalled President Obama’s pledge to work “for a lasting and durable settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict that is agreeable to all parties, and based upon America’s founding commitment to the principles of democracy and self-determination.”
“The Nagorno Karabakh Republic has a right to defend its citizens and to live freely without being subjected to Azerbaijan’s tyranny,” the Assembly letter states.
