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Congressional Record: May 7, 2007 (House)
>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
STATE DEPARTMENT'S HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, each year, the Department of State issues a
report outlining the human rights practices of various Nations, and I
object this evening to the inaccuracies in the Armenia section of the
2006 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
Originally, the State Department issued erroneous language about
Armenia being an occupier of Azerbaijani territory and Nagorno-
Karabakh, the report was substantively revised with more balanced,
although still not fully accurate, wording and then revised again to
restore the original inaccurate language.
I am deeply disturbed by the State Department's mischaracterization
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It is unprecedented and
counterproductive to our government's goal of actively promoting
constructive engagement in the peace negotiations of the region. It
also sets a troubling example by allowing a foreign State, in this case
Azerbaijan, to shape the assessments of our human rights report.
To assert that Nagorno-Karabakh is Azerbaijani territory or that
Armenia occupies Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories is simply
wrong. This version ignores the reality that the current conflict is
about the self-determination of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Like many other ethnic autonomous regions with the status of Oblast
under the Soviet Constitution, the people of Nagorno-Karabakh declared their
independence. They then conducted a referendum as set forth in the same
Soviet Constitution, and they are now an independent republic and
should be recognized as a Nation, just like Azerbaijan, Armenia and any
other former Soviet Republic. The situation has absolutely nothing to
do with Armenia. The only role Armenia plays in this conflict is that
country's part in peace negotiations.
Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that Armenia is being characterized as an
abuser of human rights in the region when it is Azerbaijan who
continues to maintain a blockade of both Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia,
and regularly threatens a new wave of violence against Nagorno-
Karabakh.
Such misrepresentations will undermine our Nation's credibility as an
impartial mediator and jeopardize prospects for successful peace
negotiations. It could also have a negative impact on U.S.-Armenia
relations.
Our common aim as a country should be to focus on workable diplomacy
that brings parties together in the spirit of conflict resolution, not
to cause additional tension by introducing new and controversial
elements into an already complex negotiating process.
Mr. Speaker, the United States has a long history of supporting
Nagorno-Karabakh's democracy and its right to live in freedom and
peace. The State Department has never made assertions in previous
reports about Armenia being an occupier of Azerbaijani territory and
Nagorno-Karabakh.
Last week, I sent a letter to Secretary Rice with my concerns over
the State Department report's language, and I urged her to quickly
reverse the State Department's mischaracterization.
>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
STATE DEPARTMENT'S HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, each year, the Department of State issues a
report outlining the human rights practices of various Nations, and I
object this evening to the inaccuracies in the Armenia section of the
2006 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
Originally, the State Department issued erroneous language about
Armenia being an occupier of Azerbaijani territory and Nagorno-
Karabakh, the report was substantively revised with more balanced,
although still not fully accurate, wording and then revised again to
restore the original inaccurate language.
I am deeply disturbed by the State Department's mischaracterization
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It is unprecedented and
counterproductive to our government's goal of actively promoting
constructive engagement in the peace negotiations of the region. It
also sets a troubling example by allowing a foreign State, in this case
Azerbaijan, to shape the assessments of our human rights report.
To assert that Nagorno-Karabakh is Azerbaijani territory or that
Armenia occupies Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories is simply
wrong. This version ignores the reality that the current conflict is
about the self-determination of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Like many other ethnic autonomous regions with the status of Oblast
under the Soviet Constitution, the people of Nagorno-Karabakh declared their
independence. They then conducted a referendum as set forth in the same
Soviet Constitution, and they are now an independent republic and
should be recognized as a Nation, just like Azerbaijan, Armenia and any
other former Soviet Republic. The situation has absolutely nothing to
do with Armenia. The only role Armenia plays in this conflict is that
country's part in peace negotiations.
Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that Armenia is being characterized as an
abuser of human rights in the region when it is Azerbaijan who
continues to maintain a blockade of both Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia,
and regularly threatens a new wave of violence against Nagorno-
Karabakh.
Such misrepresentations will undermine our Nation's credibility as an
impartial mediator and jeopardize prospects for successful peace
negotiations. It could also have a negative impact on U.S.-Armenia
relations.
Our common aim as a country should be to focus on workable diplomacy
that brings parties together in the spirit of conflict resolution, not
to cause additional tension by introducing new and controversial
elements into an already complex negotiating process.
Mr. Speaker, the United States has a long history of supporting
Nagorno-Karabakh's democracy and its right to live in freedom and
peace. The State Department has never made assertions in previous
reports about Armenia being an occupier of Azerbaijani territory and
Nagorno-Karabakh.
Last week, I sent a letter to Secretary Rice with my concerns over
the State Department report's language, and I urged her to quickly
reverse the State Department's mischaracterization.