FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Andrew Souvall/Pallone
November 8, 2004
Jennifer Cannata/Pallone (202) 225-4671
Christopher Close/Knollenberg (202) 225-5802
PALLONE, KNOLLENBERG URGE STATE DEPARTMENT TO RENOUNCE CONTROVERSIAL
AZERI U.N. RESOLUTION
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI), cochairmen of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues, today called on the United States to renounce and to secure the
retraction of an Azeri United Nations resolution that urges the removal of
Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, the lawmakers expressed
concern that the resolution would undermine peace talks in the region.
“Azerbaijan’s proposal represents a hostile declaration against the entire
peace process, aimed only at fostering increased divisiveness,” Pallone and
Knollenberg wrote in their letter to Secretary Powell. “Its consideration
can only set back the cause of peace.
“Efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict are in the
best interests of the U.S. and the South Caucasus region,” the lawmakers
continued. “We urge that the United States forcefully renounce this
proposal, secure its retraction, and impress upon the Azerbaijani government
that it should drop such counter-productive tactics in favor of a serious
and lasting commitment to the OSCE Minsk Group process.”
Last month, when the resolution came up for a vote in the U.N.
General Committee, the U.S. abstained, refusing to take a stand against this
harmful resolution. In the letter, Pallone and Knollenberg urged opposition
to the resolution when it comes before the U.N. General Assembly.
“We value the vital role the United States plays as an honest broker in the
Nagorno Karabakh peace process,” Pallone and Knollenberg wrote. “In this
capacity, given our commitment to keep the parties talking and moving
forward, it is necessary for the United States to act forcefully against
destabilizing steps that will unravel the peace process.”
Text of the letter to Secretary Powell follows.
November 7, 2004
The Honorable Colin Powell
Secretary of State
Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20520-0001
Dear Mr. Secretary:
We are writing to share with you our alarm over the prospect that
Azerbaijan’s continued efforts at the United Nations to manipulate the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict will, if unchecked, undermine our clearly
articulated national interest in the stability of the Caucasus.
We refer, of course, to Azerbaijan’s recent introduction of an ill-advised
resolution on the “situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.”
This intentionally disruptive resolution threatens the principles and
procedures of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
as well as the Minsk group mediation effort, co-chaired by the United
States, France and Russia, to resolve the Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijan’s
proposal represents a hostile declaration against the entire peace process,
aimed only at fostering increased divisiveness. Its consideration can only
set back the cause of peace.
We are deeply concerned that the OSCE Minsk process cannot survive
Azerbaijan’s destabilizing tactics. Continued tampering with this process
will inevitably produce a chain reaction resulting in its demise. We cannot
afford to allow Azerbaijan to continue to disrupt the work of the OSCE,
which, as you know, has been recognized by the UN itself as the lead arbiter
in this conflict.
We value the vital role the United States plays as an honest broker in the
Nagorno Karabakh peace process. In this capacity, given our commitment to
keep the parties talking and moving forward, it is necessary for the United
States to act forcefully against destabilizing steps that will unravel the
peace process. Our interests are best served by the continuation of
dialogue on the outstanding issues related to Nagorno Karabakh within the
OSCE framework, not by the fragmentation of this orderly process.
Efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict are in the
best interests of the U.S. and the South Caucasus region. To this end, we
urge that the United States forcefully renounce this proposal, secure its
retraction, and impress upon the Azerbaijani government that it should drop
such counter-productive tactics in favor of a serious and lasting commitment
to the OSCE Minsk Group process.
Thank you for your consideration of our views. We stand ready, of course,
to assist you in addressing this matter in the interest of the American
people.
Sincerely,
Joe Knollenberg Frank Pallone, Jr.
Member of Congress Member of Congress
-30-
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
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress