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Washington, D.C. – Today, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) welcomed news that Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA), a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, plans to introduce a bipartisan resolution “condemning Azerbaijan’s coordinated offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh and denouncing Turkish interference in the conflict,” reported the Assembly. Joining Rep. Speier are Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Brad Sherman (D-CA), and Anna Eshoo (D-CA).
The resolution, for which Representative Speier is currently seeking original cosponsors, states in part: “Whereas, this attack follows increasingly aggressive rhetoric and destabilizing actions on the part of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s government towards Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia, including a July 2020 Defense Ministry threat to bomb Armenia’s Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant;” and “Whereas, according to multiple reports, including by the Washington Post, Reuters, and The Guardian, in the weeks prior to Azerbaijan’s military operation, Turkey recruited mercenaries from Syria and as of September 29, 2020 has facilitated their deployment to Azerbaijan.”
“We applaud Representative Speier’s swift action to bring forward this resolution condemning Azerbaijan’s attack against the Armenian people and denouncing Turkey’s role as well,” stated Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “The targeting and shelling of civilians is outrageous, and reports that Turkey recruited mercenaries from Syria and provided F-16s to Azerbaijan are deeply troubling. This resolution sends a powerful message to Turkey and Azerbaijan to cease their hostile actions immediately,” Ardouny continued. “We urge its passage without delay,” Ardouny concluded.
The resolution further stated: “Whereas, the BBC, New York Times, and Washington Post have reported on the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s claim that Turkey is operating F-16 fighter jets in the region and the claim that on September 29, 2020 Turkey shot down an Armenian Su-25 fighter jet in Armenian airspace, killing the pilot,” and calls for “an immediate return to the cease-fire agreement along the line of contact between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan and a peaceful solution which protects all parties’ human rights and joins with other countries supporting the same goals,” and further “reaffirms U.S. support of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Minsk Group efforts to secure an agreement from Azerbaijan to cease offensive military operations against Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia and to accept independent third-party monitoring along the line of contact.”
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
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NR# 2020-29