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A group of senators of the US Congress on March 18, 1990 issued an appeal to Mikhail Gorbachev, in which they expressed deep concern about the murder, rape and looting of property of the Armenian population of Baku by organized groups of Azerbaijanis held within six days. Among the 60 dead and 156 wounded, most are Armenians. The original text of the appeal is available at Karabakhrecords.info.

The letter reads that the Soviet officers who left for Azerbaijan characterized the situation as a Civil War. We ask you to take up all the possible measures in order to stop the mass killings of Armenian minority as well as other forms of violence in that region. Besides the resumption of the civil peace we hope that the Soviet authorities will take care of the safe transportation of those Armenians who will have the wish to leave for their country. We hope that you will also cease the economic blockade between Armenia and Karabakh, where in the earthquake zone many foreigners and Americans continue working. The horrible breakout of violence in Azerbaijan once again proves the necessity of unification of 160 thousand Armenians living in Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia. Within 70 years the Azerbaijani authorities succeeded only in depressions of the residents of the region, as well as economic discrimination of the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh who make the 80% of the population of the region. In that way we insist that you resolve the ongoing tragedy by allowing the people of Karabakh to choose their political and cultural identity in the frameworks of the Soviet government.”

It is noteworthy that among the senators who signed the appeal was the current US Secretary of State John Kerry. Senators Pete Wilson, Paul Seimak, Larry Pressler and Claiborne Pell also signed the appeal.

On January 19, in Moscow, chairman of sub-commission of the US Senate on foreign affairs K. Pell had a meeting with the Minister of the FM of the USSR Shevardnadze. During the meeting K. Pell noted that the Soviet Union mustn’t allow Azerbaijan to continue the future control over the Armenian Karabakh. “I am deeply stressed and depressed by the violence of the Azerbaijanis and the pogroms of the Armenians in the USSR. The Soviet authorities is ought to undertake all the measures in order to secure the Armenian population /…/ The Soviet authorities should also take out from Azerbaijan the Nagorno Karabakh. By allowing Azerbaijan to keep Nagorno Karabakh under its control will mean worsening of situation.”