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ANCA WELCOMES BERMAN EFFORTS TO STOP MILITARY EQUIPMENT SALE TO BAKU
asbarez
Wednesday, May 30th, 2012
Rep. Berman concerned that U.S. sale of advanced battlefield
surveillance equipment may green-light Azerbaijani aggression
WASHINGTON--The Armenian National Committee of America welcomed
efforts by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Democrat Howard
Berman (D-CA) to pressure Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to stop
a proposed sale of military hardware to Azerbaijan, citing that
country's continued war rhetoric and attacks against neighboring
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
In a May 29 letter to Secretary Clinton, Rep. Berman referenced
announcements of a sale of military hardware which would be used in
conjunction with Azerbaijan's military helicopter fleet for "border
surveillance and 'police-type' activities." In addition to possible
attacks against Armenia, Rep. Berman expressed concern about the
"message that such a sale would send to the regional parties, both in
terms of perceived U.S. even-handedness and in terms of our seriousness
about persuading Baku to cease its bellicose rhetoric and agree to
Minsk Group co-chair demands that it remove its snipers from the
'line of contact' in the Nagorno-Karabakh region."
The complete text of the letter is provided below.
"Rep. Berman's concerns about the sale of military equipment to
Azerbaijan are timely and well founded - given the Aliyev regime's
repeated and escalating war rhetoric and attacks against Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh," stated ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
"Any sale of such military equipment only serves to arm and
embolden a belligerent Azerbaijani government that persists in using
threats and acts of aggression to undermine the fundamental right to
self-determination of the people of Karabakh, destabilizing an entire
region of strategic significance to the United States."
For a review of the latest Azerbaijani threats and attacks against
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, please review the ANCA Fact Sheet:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/misc/azeri_rhetoric_timeline_0512.pdf
Text Of Rep. Berman's Letter To Secretary Clinton
May 29, 2012
The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State U.S. Department
of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Clinton:
I am writing to express my concern over a proposal by the Department
of State to allow the sale of military equipment to Azerbaijan. This
proposal is included in case "DDTC 12-002â~@³.
Two months ago, my staff inquired as to the possible use of this
equipment by Azerbaijan. Just last week, they were informed that it
would be used on existing helicopters to aid in border surveillance
and "police-type" activities.
As Azerbaijan shares a border with Armenia, this equipment could be
used to identify and possibly target Armenians in the border area for
surveillance or for attack. I am also concerned about the message
that such a sale would send to the regional parties, both in terms
of perceived U.S. even-handedness and in terms of our seriousness
about persuading Baku to cease its bellicose rhetoric and agree to
Minsk Group co-chair demands that it remove its snipers from the
"line of contact" in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
I therefore urge you to alter the proposal and prevent this military
equipment from being sold to Azerbaijan.
asbarez
Wednesday, May 30th, 2012
Rep. Berman concerned that U.S. sale of advanced battlefield
surveillance equipment may green-light Azerbaijani aggression
WASHINGTON--The Armenian National Committee of America welcomed
efforts by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Democrat Howard
Berman (D-CA) to pressure Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to stop
a proposed sale of military hardware to Azerbaijan, citing that
country's continued war rhetoric and attacks against neighboring
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
In a May 29 letter to Secretary Clinton, Rep. Berman referenced
announcements of a sale of military hardware which would be used in
conjunction with Azerbaijan's military helicopter fleet for "border
surveillance and 'police-type' activities." In addition to possible
attacks against Armenia, Rep. Berman expressed concern about the
"message that such a sale would send to the regional parties, both in
terms of perceived U.S. even-handedness and in terms of our seriousness
about persuading Baku to cease its bellicose rhetoric and agree to
Minsk Group co-chair demands that it remove its snipers from the
'line of contact' in the Nagorno-Karabakh region."
The complete text of the letter is provided below.
"Rep. Berman's concerns about the sale of military equipment to
Azerbaijan are timely and well founded - given the Aliyev regime's
repeated and escalating war rhetoric and attacks against Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh," stated ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
"Any sale of such military equipment only serves to arm and
embolden a belligerent Azerbaijani government that persists in using
threats and acts of aggression to undermine the fundamental right to
self-determination of the people of Karabakh, destabilizing an entire
region of strategic significance to the United States."
For a review of the latest Azerbaijani threats and attacks against
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, please review the ANCA Fact Sheet:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/misc/azeri_rhetoric_timeline_0512.pdf
Text Of Rep. Berman's Letter To Secretary Clinton
May 29, 2012
The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State U.S. Department
of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Clinton:
I am writing to express my concern over a proposal by the Department
of State to allow the sale of military equipment to Azerbaijan. This
proposal is included in case "DDTC 12-002â~@³.
Two months ago, my staff inquired as to the possible use of this
equipment by Azerbaijan. Just last week, they were informed that it
would be used on existing helicopters to aid in border surveillance
and "police-type" activities.
As Azerbaijan shares a border with Armenia, this equipment could be
used to identify and possibly target Armenians in the border area for
surveillance or for attack. I am also concerned about the message
that such a sale would send to the regional parties, both in terms
of perceived U.S. even-handedness and in terms of our seriousness
about persuading Baku to cease its bellicose rhetoric and agree to
Minsk Group co-chair demands that it remove its snipers from the
"line of contact" in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
I therefore urge you to alter the proposal and prevent this military
equipment from being sold to Azerbaijan.