Armenian Assembly of America
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PRESS RELEASE
October 7, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: ckojoian@aaainc.org

ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVE CHALLENGES AZERI PRESIDENT’S REMARKS ON NK CONFLICT
DURING A FORUM AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America commended one of its own
for challenging Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to explain his
mischaracterizations of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and blaming Armenia
for the stalled peace talks.

Christina Lehmejian-Karaszewski, the Assembly’s volunteer representative to
the United Nation’s NGO Human Rights Committee, questioned the Azeri leader
on September 24 following a speech at Columbia University in New York City.
In his prepared remarks, Aliyev focused heavily on the territorial dispute,
naming Armenia as the aggressor and demanding the withdrawal of Armenian
troops who he claims are in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. He
also touted the progressiveness of his government, citing its economic and
social reforms and integration in the international community.

Lehmejian-Karaszewski particularly took issue with Aliyev’s statements
regarding Azeri society which he called “tolerant and conscientious,”
despite several damaging reports from international watchdog groups who have
identified the country as one of the most corrupt and oppressive regimes in
the world. Aliyev was evasive in responding to Lehmejian-Karaszewski on
this as well as the Karabakh issue, steering clear of the question regarding
Azeri society altogether and once again tagging Armenia as the aggressor in
the NK conflict.

According to the Columbia Daily Spectator, Aliyev, who is the son of former
President Heydar Aliyev, also said that the NK “negotiations cannot go on
forever,” and that Baku reserves the right to restore territorial
sovereignty “by any means.” He was also critical of the international
community, who he blamed for failing to intervene in the conflict and
enforce the resolutions that the Security Council passed more than a decade
ago.

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#2004-089