[Congressional Record: July 17, 2006 (Extensions)]
[Page E1420]
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[DOCID:cr17jy06-17]

IN SUPPORT OF MAINTAINING NEUTRALITY WITH REGARD TO THE PEACE
NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA

______

HON. DAN BURTON

of indiana

in the house of representatives

Monday, July 17, 2006

Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, in the weeks leading up to the G-
8 summit, there was some speculation that the leaders of Azerbaijan
and Armenia might be invited to attend the summit as an incentive
to help spur further progress on peace negotiations between the two
countries over the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Unfortunately, it appears
that that did not happen; and I am deeply disappointed that the world
has missed the opportunity this summit offered to help promote peace
in a region which has been in conflict for far too long.

Although, in my opinion, a good opportunity to advance peace has been
lost, I have not lost hope that, together with other nations, we can
help Azerbaijan and Armenia achieve peace, and settle once and for
all the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, which I believe has significantly
stunted the development of both nations as well as the broader region.

In 1992, the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe–CSCE–
now the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe–OSCE–
created the Minsk Group, a coalition of member states dedicated to
facilitating a peaceful resolution of the conflict. The co-chairs of
the Minsk Group–Russia, France, and the United States–have served
as mediators, trying to work in close and effective cooperation with
all parties towards a fair and effective settlement of the issues.

I believe though that our success and credibility as a mediator stems
from the policy of never appearing to favor one nation’s claims over
the other. I believe that even the modest steps towards peace which
we have witnessed, are a direct result of this neutrality. According
to the United States State Department’s 2005 Fact Sheet: "The United
States does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent country,
and its leadership is not recognized internationally or by the United
States. The United States supports the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan and holds that the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh is a
matter of negotiation between the parties." This has been the policy of
the United States towards this issue through both the Clinton and Bush
administrations, and it is important in my opinion that it remains the
same. Any outside influence, any shift in neutrality can only result
in a false peace. That is why I am deeply concerned when I hear some
of my colleagues throwing barbs at the Azeris and attempting to lay
all the blame for this complicated issue at their doorstep.

For example, one of my colleagues once said, "I have long supported
the right of self-determination for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh
and greatly admire the efforts of the people of this historically
Armenian region to build democracy and a market economy in the face
of hostility from Azerbaijan." So far as I know, the Nagorno-Karabakh
region has never been a part of Armenia. To suggest otherwise, and
to suggest that the problems in Nagorno-Karabakh are caused solely by
Azerbaijan seem to me to distort the facts and potentially undermine
our good faith efforts to see this conflict resolved; and to see
peace and prosperity come to the people of both Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Mr. Speaker, I would encourage all of my colleagues to both maintain
our neutrality in policy, and to also realize that choosing one side
over the other at this point in time is a setback to peace, especially
when the side they appear to be choosing may be distorting the facts
for its own benefit.