Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: anca@anca.org
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE
August 5, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA CALLS ON WHITE HOUSE AND CONGRESS TO
PROTEST AZERBAIJANI THREATS AGAINST ARMENIA

— Senior Azerbaijani Defense Official
Calling for End to Armenia’s Existence

WASHINGTON, DC – In letters sent today to the White House and every
Member of Congress, the Armenian National Committee Of America
(ANCA) called for a forceful, public protest of open threats by a
senior Azerbaijani military official against the continued
existence of the Republic of Armenia.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported yesterday that
the chief spokesman for Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry, Colonel
Ramiz Melikov, stated publicly that, “within the next 25-years
there will exist no state of Armenia in the South Caucasus.” He
added that, “”Modern Armenia is built on historical Azerbaijani
lands. . . I think that in 25-30 years’ times its territory will
again come under Azerbaijan’s jurisdiction.” According to FRE/RL,
Melikov made these remarks to the Baku-based daily newspaper
“Zerkalo.”

In letters to each Congressional office, the ANCA noted that,
“these threats were not made by a professor, a columnist, or a
private Azerbaijani citizen. They were made – on the record in a
major publication – by the chief spokesperson for the Azerbaijani
Ministry of Defense.” In the ANCA letter to the White House,
Executive Director Aram Hamparian wrote that it would be a “grave
error for our government to dismiss these remarks as rhetoric, or
to address them solely through diplomatic channels. Rather, we
expect our government to forcefully and publicly confront the
Azerbaijani government over these patently hateful and
destabilizing threats. Failure to do so would send extremely
dangerous signals to Baku.”

For the full text of the RFE/RL report, visit:

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