Armenian Assembly of America
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PRESS RELEASE
September 23, 2004
CONTACT: David Zenian
E-mail: zenian@aaainc.org

REPS. KNOLLENBERG AND PALLONE CALL ON PRESIDENT BUSH TO DEMAND AN END TO
AZERI THREATS AGAINST ARMENIA AND NAGORNO KARABAKH

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly commended Congressional Caucus on
Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Reps. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone,
Jr. (D-NJ) for bringing the continued threats by Azerbaijan against Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh to the attention of President George W. Bush and
calling for urgent U.S. action to put an end to Baku’s war-mongering and
belligerence.

In a joint letter circulated among Caucus members Wednesday night,
Representatives Knollenberg and Pallone said Azerbaijan’s rhetoric and
repeated threats had intensified in recent months and it was time for the
United States to act in the interest of peace and stability in the Caucasus
region.

“We urge you to sign the attached letter to President Bush imploring him to
publicly condemn the ongoing Azerbaijani war rhetoric and other increasingly
bellicose remarks against the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,”
Reps. Knollenberg and Pallone wrote to their colleagues.

“We applaud the initiative of the Co-Chairs. These repeated and escalating
Azeri threats against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh are not only dangerous,
but can ultimately only lead to further destabilization in an already
volatile region,” Assembly Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian
said.

“The United States urgently needs to impress on Azerbaijan that its present
policies are not conducive to peace – and peace is a prerequisite to
regional security and stability,” Barsamian said.

In their letter to President Bush, the Co-Chairs said:

Dear Mr. President,

We are writing to strongly urge you to condemn the ongoing Azerbaijani war
rhetoric and other increasingly bellicose remarks made against the Republic
of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. These statements undermine U.S. interests
in the region.

As you know, a cease-fire in the conflict over Nagorno Karabakh was
established in 1994 and sensitive peace negotiations to achieve a final
agreement are ongoing. However, the government of Azerbaijan continues to
make dangerous claims and threaten war against Armenia. This war rhetoric
has continued unabated and has intensified in recent months.

In July, as reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Azerbaijani
Defense Ministry spokesman called for Azerbaijan’s takeover of Armenia and
removing its entire population. He said, “In the next 25-30 years there
will be no Armenian state in the South Caucasus. This nation has been a
nuisance for its neighbors and has no right to live in this region.
Present-day Armenia was built on historical Azerbaijani lands. I believe
that in 25 to 30 years these territories will once again come under
Azerbaijan’s jurisdiction.” Mr. President, this reprehensible call for
ethnic cleansing and even genocide warrants the strongest possible reply
from our country.

The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has repeatedly declared that
Azerbaijan could launch a new war in Karabakh. Just two months ago, he
stated, “At any moment we must be able to liberate our territories by
military means. To achieve this we have everything.” Aliyev has directly
linked Azerbaijan’s economic progress to its military “superiority.” “Under
these circumstances we cannot react positively to those calling us to
compromise,” Aliyev stated.

Last year, as reported by BBC Monitoring, Azerbaijani Defense Minister
General Safar Abiyev said that occasional violations of the cease-fire were
“natural” since Azerbaijan is still “at war.” Statements like this not only
undermine the peace process, but can also serve to actually encourage
attacks against Armenia.

Just this month, NATO cancelled its Cooperative Best Effort (CBE) 2004
exercises in Baku, Azerbaijan after the government of Azerbaijan barred
Armenia from participating. U.S. General James Jones, Supreme Commander of
Allied Forces in Europe, expressed regret over Azerbaijan’s refusal to honor
its host obligations to accept delegates from all interested partners. As
part of its commitment to international security in the Caucasus, Armenia
welcomed both Azerbaijan and Turkey to participate in the NATO CBE 2003
exercises in Yerevan, Armenia.

Efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict are in the
best interests of the United States and the region. The Nagorno Karabakh
peace process will achieve nothing if Azerbaijan is allowed to risk war and
predict ethnic cleansing with impunity. To this end, we urge that you
condemn these remarks and call upon the government of Azerbaijan to desist
from making any further threats against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

NR#2004-082

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress