WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has renewed calls for zeroing out military aid to Azerbaijan and sending $250 million in U.S. assistance to Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) in the aftermath of Azerbaijan’s latest attack on Artsakh – its first major ceasefire violation following the disastrous Russia-brokered November 9th agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
On December 11, Azerbaijani forces attacked Artsakh’s southern Hadrut villages of Hin Tagher and Khtsabert, injuring three Armenian soldiers and raising questions about the future status and security of these Armenian villages and the nearby 4th-century Katarovank Monastery. An Armenian civilian was also reportedly captured by Azerbaijani forces.
The incident comes just a day after Azerbaijani President Aliyev claimed Armenia’s capital Yerevan and its Sevan and Syunik regions as historic Azerbaijani territory. It was also timed to coincide with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ visit to Baku, held on Saturday, December 12, during which President Aliyev issued a mocking rebuke of ongoing international efforts to secure a durable Artsakh peace.
The ANCA has issued a national call to action urging US leaders to condemn the most recent Azerbaijani attacks, stop US military aid to Azerbaijan, and help Armenia/Artsakh stand strong against future attacks through a $250 million emergency assistance program.
The grassroots letter to elected officials notes that “the intentions of Azerbaijan – and its enabler Turkey – are abundantly clear: to continue their aggression against Armenia and Artsakh with the ultimate goal of the destruction of the first Christian nation.”
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian echoed the call to action in live Facebook and Instagram videos, sharing the broader list of immediate steps the organization is pursuing to stop Aliyev’s and Erdogan’s genocidal plans, including:
— Delivering $250 million in humanitarian & development aid to Artsakh
— Securing the release of all Armenian prisoners of war and captives
— Recognizing Artsakh independence
— Banning arms sales to Turkey and Azerbaijan
— Stopping the military and security aid program to Baku
— Enforcing Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act
— Imposing Magnitsky sanctions on Erdogan and Aliyev
— Investigating evidence of Azerbaijani war crimes
— Punishing Turkish Arms Export Control law violations
— Removing barriers to U.S.-Artsakh travel and contacts
Clearly, the Russia is unable (or unwilling, or both) to guarantee the security of Artsakh people. The Armenian government should have issued loud statement emphasizing this within hours of these events. That statement on one hand will be a wake up call for Russia to increase their efforts in the region in providing proactive security to prevent any potential advances of Azeris anywhere in Artsakh, rather than offering reactive measures (often incomplete and late) following these attacks. On the other hand this statement will be that handle that Minsk Group co-chairs USA and France can use to re-start the talks, and, potentially, bring international observers/peacekeepers in the region. Instead, when asked about his reaction to these bold violations of current ceasefire, the PM Pashinyan is deferring to Russia! Armenians are the ones who get hurt in these attack, not Russians! Another missed opportunity to change the horrible situation Armenia finds itself currently.