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Speaking on behalf of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, Co-Chairs Robert Dold (Republican Party) and Frank Pallone (Democratic Party) called on President Obama to forcefully condemn Azerbaijan’s military offensive against the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and urged top US House appropriators to zero-out US military assistance to Ilham Aliyev’s armed forces, Asbarez reports.

In their letter to Barack Obama, the two Co-Chairs also asked that he “provide emergency relief aid to Nagorno Karabakh, and send a State Department fact-finding mission to both evaluate the destruction inflicted by Azerbaijan’s aggression and assess the humanitarian relief and reconstruction needs of Nagorno Karabakh’s affected civilian population.”

They noted that “Azerbaijan’s attacks represent a dramatic escalation in President Aliyev’s destructive pattern of aggression, constant threats of renewed war, ongoing incitement of anti-Armenian hatred, and the military targeting of Armenian civilians in both Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia. They also reflect his desire to act with international impunity – as so clearly demonstrated by his rejection of common-sense, cease-fire monitoring and other accountability-oriented initiatives – such as the urgently-needed Royce-Engel peace proposals that are supported by your Administration.”

The Royce-Engel proposals presuppose three certain steps for establishing peace in the Karabakh conflict zone, which are a repetition of the earlier calls of the international community. The proposals include withdrawing snipers, expanding the OSCE monitors’ number and deploying sensors along the line of contact and the Armenia-Azerbaijan international border to investigate the ceasefire violations. Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic have agreed to all three provisions advanced in the Royce-Engel letter. Only Azerbaijan opposes their implementation.

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian supported the Co-Chairs statement. “We join with them in supporting a shift in U.S. policy that challenges Aliyev’s aggression and protects American taxpayers from subsidizing an Azerbaijan military that is killing innocent Armenians, destabilizing a vital region, undermining U.S. interests, very likely committing war crimes, and risking the outbreak of an even larger regional conflict. Stated simply: Ilham Aliyev doesn’t need U.S. military aid, he doesn’t deserve U.S. military aid, and he shouldn’t get U.S. military aid,” he said.

According to Asbarez , several other Congress representatives condemned Azerbaijan’s aggression, as well.
Rep. Judy Chu (Democratic Party) who has been outspoken in her condemnation of Azerbaijan’s earlier attacks against Armenians in Sumgait and Baku from 1988-1990, strongly condemned these latest attacks, stating that over the years, Azerbaijan has resisted efforts to de-escalate the conflict, and this weekend, it turned lethal costing innocent civilian lives. She called on President Obama to suspend aid to Azerbaijan and to work to reach a settlement quickly. “Violence in response to a peaceful independence movement is unacceptable,” she said. 

Rep. Jim Costa said the latest breach of the ceasefire underscores Azerbaijan’s aversion to peace and stability. “Despite attending meetings in DC with Secretary Kerry and Vice President Biden last week, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev does not appear committed to the peace process and I question his sincerity in trying to reach a resolution,” he noted.

According to Rep. Robert Dold, Azerbaijan continues to say one thing and do the exact opposite. He called on the Obama administration to continue to work with the OSCE Minsk Group to come to a peaceful resolution.
Among other representatives condemning Azerbaijan’s aggression are Sen. Mark Kirk, Rep. David Cicilline, Rep. Grace Napolitano, Rep. Devin Nunes, Frank Pallone, Rep. Linda Sanchez, Rep. Adam Schiff, Rep. Brad Sherman and others.