ANCA CHALLENGES REP. BURTON’S ATTACK ON NAGORNO KARABAGH

Washington, DC, July 19. ArmInfo. The Armenian National Committee
of America (ANCA) responded today to a July 17th speech on the House
floor by Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN) that seriously misrepresented
Nagorno Karabagh’s history, status, and right to self-determination.

ANCA reports that the Indiana legislator took to the House
floor yesterday in an apparent attempt to undermine the growing
Congressional support for Nagorno Karabagh – as demonstrated by the
successful recent Washington, DC visit and U.S. Capitol reception for
the Parliamentary Speaker and Foreign Minister of the Republic of
Nagorno Karabagh. Commenting on what he perceived as a pro-Nagorno
Karabagh tilt among U.S. legislators, Rep. Burton stressed that:
"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."

In a factually incorrect statement, he sought to call into question
Nagorno Karabagh’s right to self-determination, asserting that:
"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 seems 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."

In a three-page fact sheet sent to every Congressional office, the
ANCA challenged Congressman Burton’s inaccurate description of the
Nagorno Karabagh issue as well as the biased and counter-productive
advice he offered to his House colleagues. The key points addressed
in the ANCA document included:

1) Nagorno Karabagh’s commitment to peace

2) Azerbaijan’s threat to regional stability

3) Nagorno Karabagh’s economic growth

4) Nagorno Karabagh’s right to self-determination

5) Nagorno Karabagh’s commitment to democracy

6) Nagorno Karabagh’s pivotal role in ending the Soviet threat
to America

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress