PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: Andrew Souvall
August 25, 2004
Jennifer Cannata
(202) 225-4671
ARMENIAN CAUCUS CO-CHAIRS CALL ON BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO CONDEMN THREATENING
REMARKS BY AZERBAIJANI GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Reps. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone,
Jr. (D-NJ), co-chairmen of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues,
today called on the U.S. State Department to condemn recent statements by an
Azerbaijani government official threatening aggression against Armenia.
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, the lawmakers cited a
report by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty where the Azerbaijani Defense
Ministry spokesman had called for Azerbaijan’s takeover of the entire
territory of Armenia and removal of the entire Armenian population from the
Caucasus. The Azeri spokesman was quoted as stating, “Within the next 25
years there will exist no state of Armenia in the South Caucasus.”
“Given Azerbaijan’s history of aggression against Armenians, these remarks
cannot be dismissed as mere rhetoric,” the members wrote. “A failure on our
part to forcefully and publicly confront the Azerbaijani government over
these destabilizing threats would, in our view, send extremely dangerous
signals to Azerbaijan.”
Knollenberg and Pallone believe Azerbaijan’s increasingly aggressive posture
toward Armenia demonstrates the need to maintain parity in U.S. military aid
to both countries. Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a
Foreign Operations Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2005 that included
parity in military funding. In their letter to Secretary Powell, the two
lawmakers wrote that any tilt in military spending toward Azerbaijan could
destabilize the region by emboldening the new Azerbaijani leadership to
continue their threats to impose a military solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.
“The United States plays a crucial role in the negotiations over
Nagorno-Karabakh, to help the people of this region to find a lasting and
equitable peace,” the members continued. “These threats by Azerbaijan
undermine these efforts and seriously complicate our diplomacy in the
region. It is our hope that the United States takes action to condemn these
remarks, to ensure that all parties involved in this conflict make a genuine
commitment towards peace and stability.”
Text of the letter to Secretary Powell follows.
August 25, 2004
Secretary Colin Powell
U.S. Department of State
2201 C St, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Powell,
As Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, we would like
to raise with you a serious issue that, if not compellingly addressed by the
Administration, has the potential to undermine U.S. interests and American
values in the strategically important Caucasus region.
We refer to the remarks by officials in the government of President Ilham
Aliyev calling into question the very existence of Armenia. For example, as
reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Azerbaijani Defense
Ministry spokesman called for Azerbaijan’s takeover of the entire territory
of Armenia and removal of the entire Armenian population from the Caucasus.
He went so far as to say, “Within the next 25 years there will exist no
state of Armenia in the South Caucasus.” Given Azerbaijan’s history of
aggression against Armenians, these remarks cannot be dismissed as mere
rhetoric.
Azerbaijan’s threats against Armenia’s survival reinforce our commitment to
maintaining parity in U.S. military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan. This
arrangement means even more today than when it was first put in place,
particularly in light of Baku’s increasingly aggressive posture toward
Armenia. Any tilt in military spending toward Azerbaijan could, in our
view, destabilize the region by emboldening the new Azerbaijani leadership
to continue their threats to impose a military solution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The United States plays a crucial role in the negotiations over
Nagorno-Karabakh, to help the people of this region to find a lasting and
equitable peace. These threats by Azerbaijan undermine these efforts and
seriously complicate our diplomacy in the region. A failure on our part to
forcefully and publicly confront the Azerbaijani government over these
destabilizing threats would, in our view, send extremely dangerous signals
to Azerbaijan.
It is our hope that the United States takes action to condemn these remarks,
to ensure that all parties involved in this conflict make a genuine
commitment towards peace and stability.
Sincerely,
FRANK PALLONE, JR. JOE KNOLLENBERG
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Cc: National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice
Ambassador Steven Mann
Jennifer Karch Cannata
Press Secretary
Office of U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.
420 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-4671 office
(202) 225-9665 fax