Armenian Assembly of America Co-Chairs Address Letter To President Trump Raising Concerns For Armenia’s Security

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recalling the President’s statement last year to “protect persecuted Christians” and to “restore PEACE between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) Co-Chairs Oscar Tatosian and Talin Yacoubian – in a letter to President Donald J. Trump – outlined numerous concerns regarding the announcement that negotiations of “a historic peace treaty” between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been concluded.

“True peace cannot be achieved until all Armenian captives and POWs are released, and we urge you to use every tool at your disposal to secure their immediate freedom,” the Assembly Co-Chairs emphasized.

The Co-Chairs stressed that there must be strong security guarantees as well as “severe consequences should Azerbaijan violate this agreement.” In their letter they highlighted Azerbaijan’s repeated failure “to abide by its international commitments, including the 2020 Agreement reached in Washington,” during President Trump’s first term.

The letter also expressed serious concerns regarding Azerbaijan’s continued military presence “in strategic areas within Armenia,” and explained that despite Armenia’s willingness to achieve a lasting peace deal, Azerbaijan “continues to conduct unlawful show trials against Armenian captives.”

Additionally, the Co-Chairs underlined that the ethnic cleansing of 120,000 Armenians from Artsakh remains an “unresolved humanitarian crisis,” and in their letter stressed that their rights and status must be addressed, and their “fundamental right to return must be guaranteed.”