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May 2, 2014 Friday 10:12 AM EST
Unconstitutional California Bill Contradicts US Foreign Policy
Press-Release by Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC)
LOS ANGELES, May 2, 2014
The ongoing crisis in Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Crimea by
Russia revealed the latter's effective use of ethnic separatism to
keep its neighborhood away from the West. Indeed, the post-Soviet
separatist conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia, Abkhazia,
Transdniester, and Crimea hindered progress of the nations of
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Armenia. While the first
four lost control of significant parts of their territories, the fifth
lost independence over its territorial ambition. Last year, Armenia
was forced to scrap the EU neighborhood agreement to join Putin's
neo-Soviet Eurasian Union. In March 2014, along with North Korea and
Syria, Armenia opposed a UN General Assembly resolution affirming
Ukraine's territorial integrity. Additionally, Armenian President's
support for the illegal Russian incursion forced Ukraine to recall its
ambassador from Armenia.
Despite the U.S. Administration's principled opposition to redrawing
of borders by force, some state politicians believe otherwise. The
California Assembly Joint Resolution 32 authored by Democratic
Assemblymember Mike Gatto in collaboration with the Armenian-American
lobby reflects the Russian view of the world order. AJR 32 calls for
California's recognition of the separatist "Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic", or "NKR", as a sovereign state.
In 1991-94, the Armenian forces, supported and equipped by Russia,
invaded and occupied one-fifth of Azerbaijan including
Nagorno-Karabakh. Nearly 30,000 were killed and over a million,
overwhelming majority of them Azerbaijanis, were expelled from their
homes. In 1993, four UN Security Council resolutions demanded an
unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces, allowing the return of
nearly 800,000 Azerbaijani refugees. The peace process mediated by the
United States, Russia and France has stalled because of Armenia's
attempts to legitimize the military occupation and ethnic cleansing.
For this purpose, Armenian authorities forged "NKR", a monoethnic
client regime on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, which neither
the U.S. nor any other country recognize.
It is unclear whether Mr. Gatto is aware of the Establishment Clause
of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits states from pursuing a
foreign policy in violation of federal government's jurisdiction. Not
to mention that AJR 32 will not improve the lives of California
taxpayers. But we are hopeful that common sense will prevail in the
Rules Committee of the State Assembly, due to discuss the bill on
Monday, and that its sponsors will opt for meaningful ways of pursuing
foreign conflict settlement.
SOURCE Azerbaijani-American Council
May 2, 2014 Friday 10:12 AM EST
Unconstitutional California Bill Contradicts US Foreign Policy
Press-Release by Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC)
LOS ANGELES, May 2, 2014
The ongoing crisis in Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Crimea by
Russia revealed the latter's effective use of ethnic separatism to
keep its neighborhood away from the West. Indeed, the post-Soviet
separatist conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia, Abkhazia,
Transdniester, and Crimea hindered progress of the nations of
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Armenia. While the first
four lost control of significant parts of their territories, the fifth
lost independence over its territorial ambition. Last year, Armenia
was forced to scrap the EU neighborhood agreement to join Putin's
neo-Soviet Eurasian Union. In March 2014, along with North Korea and
Syria, Armenia opposed a UN General Assembly resolution affirming
Ukraine's territorial integrity. Additionally, Armenian President's
support for the illegal Russian incursion forced Ukraine to recall its
ambassador from Armenia.
Despite the U.S. Administration's principled opposition to redrawing
of borders by force, some state politicians believe otherwise. The
California Assembly Joint Resolution 32 authored by Democratic
Assemblymember Mike Gatto in collaboration with the Armenian-American
lobby reflects the Russian view of the world order. AJR 32 calls for
California's recognition of the separatist "Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic", or "NKR", as a sovereign state.
In 1991-94, the Armenian forces, supported and equipped by Russia,
invaded and occupied one-fifth of Azerbaijan including
Nagorno-Karabakh. Nearly 30,000 were killed and over a million,
overwhelming majority of them Azerbaijanis, were expelled from their
homes. In 1993, four UN Security Council resolutions demanded an
unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces, allowing the return of
nearly 800,000 Azerbaijani refugees. The peace process mediated by the
United States, Russia and France has stalled because of Armenia's
attempts to legitimize the military occupation and ethnic cleansing.
For this purpose, Armenian authorities forged "NKR", a monoethnic
client regime on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, which neither
the U.S. nor any other country recognize.
It is unclear whether Mr. Gatto is aware of the Establishment Clause
of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits states from pursuing a
foreign policy in violation of federal government's jurisdiction. Not
to mention that AJR 32 will not improve the lives of California
taxpayers. But we are hopeful that common sense will prevail in the
Rules Committee of the State Assembly, due to discuss the bill on
Monday, and that its sponsors will opt for meaningful ways of pursuing
foreign conflict settlement.
SOURCE Azerbaijani-American Council