11:01, 21 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 21, ARMENPRESS. United States Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) is collecting signatures on a U.S. House letter calling out newly appointed US Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Louis Bono for ruling out U.S. sanctions against Azerbaijan for its 100-day blockade of Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reported.

On March 8th of this year – deep into the second month of Azerbaijan’s blockade, Bono, on his first official trip to the region as Special U.S. Advisor, stated publicly: “This is not a time for sanctions… Sanctions would be counter-productive. It’s not even under consideration at this point.”

The Schiff-led Congressional letter addressed to Bono states, in part: “We are deeply concerned by your reported comments during the trip ruling out the use of economic and diplomatic sanctions against Azerbaijan for their clear aggression. It was reported that you stated, “this is not a time for sanctions … it’s not even under consideration at this point.” As 120,000 innocent people remain deprived of their basic rights in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) for a third month, due to a blockade that the International Court of Justice (World Court) has ordered Azerbaijan to lift, this is not the time to take any tools off the table.”

In closing, the signatories affirm that: “The United States, the President of the United States, the U.S. State Department, and entire Administration must use all tools at its disposal to ensure the safety of the people of Artsakh, now and in the future, including cessation of financial support to Azerbaijan and imposition of sanctions.”