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AAA: Knollenberg & Pallone Ask Bush to Demand End to Azeri Threats

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  • AAA: Knollenberg & Pallone Ask Bush to Demand End to Azeri Threats

    Armenian Assembly of America
    122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
    Washington, DC 20001
    Phone: 202-393-3434
    Fax: 202-638-4904
    Email: [email protected]
    Web: www.armenianassembly.org
     
    PRESS RELEASE
    September 23, 2004
    CONTACT: David Zenian
    E-mail: [email protected]

    REPS. KNOLLENBERG AND PALLONE CALL ON PRESIDENT BUSH TO DEMAND AN END TO
    AZERI THREATS AGAINST ARMENIA AND NAGORNO KARABAKH

    Washington, DC - The Armenian Assembly commended Congressional Caucus on
    Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Reps. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone,
    Jr. (D-NJ) for bringing the continued threats by Azerbaijan against Armenia
    and Nagorno Karabakh to the attention of President George W. Bush and
    calling for urgent U.S. action to put an end to Baku's war-mongering and
    belligerence.

    In a joint letter circulated among Caucus members Wednesday night,
    Representatives Knollenberg and Pallone said Azerbaijan's rhetoric and
    repeated threats had intensified in recent months and it was time for the
    United States to act in the interest of peace and stability in the Caucasus
    region.

    "We urge you to sign the attached letter to President Bush imploring him to
    publicly condemn the ongoing Azerbaijani war rhetoric and other increasingly
    bellicose remarks against the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,"
    Reps. Knollenberg and Pallone wrote to their colleagues.

    "We applaud the initiative of the Co-Chairs. These repeated and escalating
    Azeri threats against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh are not only dangerous,
    but can ultimately only lead to further destabilization in an already
    volatile region," Assembly Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian
    said.

    "The United States urgently needs to impress on Azerbaijan that its present
    policies are not conducive to peace - and peace is a prerequisite to
    regional security and stability," Barsamian said.

    In their letter to President Bush, the Co-Chairs said:

    Dear Mr. President,

    We are writing to strongly urge you to condemn the ongoing Azerbaijani war
    rhetoric and other increasingly bellicose remarks made against the Republic
    of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. These statements undermine U.S. interests
    in the region.

    As you know, a cease-fire in the conflict over Nagorno Karabakh was
    established in 1994 and sensitive peace negotiations to achieve a final
    agreement are ongoing. However, the government of Azerbaijan continues to
    make dangerous claims and threaten war against Armenia. This war rhetoric
    has continued unabated and has intensified in recent months.

    In July, as reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Azerbaijani
    Defense Ministry spokesman called for Azerbaijan's takeover of Armenia and
    removing its entire population. He said, "In the next 25-30 years there
    will be no Armenian state in the South Caucasus. This nation has been a
    nuisance for its neighbors and has no right to live in this region.
    Present-day Armenia was built on historical Azerbaijani lands. I believe
    that in 25 to 30 years these territories will once again come under
    Azerbaijan's jurisdiction." Mr. President, this reprehensible call for
    ethnic cleansing and even genocide warrants the strongest possible reply
    from our country.

    The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has repeatedly declared that
    Azerbaijan could launch a new war in Karabakh. Just two months ago, he
    stated, "At any moment we must be able to liberate our territories by
    military means. To achieve this we have everything." Aliyev has directly
    linked Azerbaijan's economic progress to its military "superiority." "Under
    these circumstances we cannot react positively to those calling us to
    compromise," Aliyev stated.

    Last year, as reported by BBC Monitoring, Azerbaijani Defense Minister
    General Safar Abiyev said that occasional violations of the cease-fire were
    "natural" since Azerbaijan is still "at war." Statements like this not only
    undermine the peace process, but can also serve to actually encourage
    attacks against Armenia.

    Just this month, NATO cancelled its Cooperative Best Effort (CBE) 2004
    exercises in Baku, Azerbaijan after the government of Azerbaijan barred
    Armenia from participating. U.S. General James Jones, Supreme Commander of
    Allied Forces in Europe, expressed regret over Azerbaijan's refusal to honor
    its host obligations to accept delegates from all interested partners. As
    part of its commitment to international security in the Caucasus, Armenia
    welcomed both Azerbaijan and Turkey to participate in the NATO CBE 2003
    exercises in Yerevan, Armenia.

    Efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict are in the
    best interests of the United States and the region. The Nagorno Karabakh
    peace process will achieve nothing if Azerbaijan is allowed to risk war and
    predict ethnic cleansing with impunity. To this end, we urge that you
    condemn these remarks and call upon the government of Azerbaijan to desist
    from making any further threats against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

    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#2004-082

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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