Members of Congress Express Solidarity with the Armenian People and Need for Greater U.S. Action

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY ALSO WELCOMES FRENCH STATEMENT

Washington D.C. – The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly), the largest, non-partisan Armenian-American advocacy organization in the United States, welcomed expressions of solidarity with the Armenian people and the need for greater U.S. action regarding the one-sided statement brokered by Russia and Turkey and signed by Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia to end the 6-week assault by the Azerbaijani military with the full support of Turkey on the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. 

“We welcome the show of solidarity and support for the Armenian people by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Committee Member Edward Markey (D-MA) along with the Armenian Caucus leadership,” stated Assembly Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan.

“As Congress reconvenes, the Armenian Assembly urges a $100 million aid package to Armenia to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis. In addition, the Assembly also continues to urge the full enforcement of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, which was waived earlier this year and ironically published in the federal register on the eve of the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,” added Khaloyan.

U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Ranking Member Senator Bob Menendez, Armenian Assembly of America Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan

The waiver language specifically requires a certification that, in order to exercise the waiver, it “will not undermine or hamper ongoing efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan or be used for offensive purposes against Armenia.” It is abundantly clear that the waiver, which facilitated over $100 million additional in security assistance to Azerbaijan, created a huge military imbalance and did, in fact, undermine efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in a peaceful manner. In addition, there are credible reports that such assistance to Azerbaijan was used for offensive purposes against the Armenian people. In his statement today, Senator Menendez, who has been a champion of Armenian issues since he was first elected to Congress in 1992, reiterated “that Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act remains the law of the land, and this conflict underscored the need for the Administration to actually enforce it.”

The Assembly also welcomes the statement by Minsk Group Co-Chair, France. Moreover, the Assembly urges the United States to reassert its leadership role as U.S. Co-Chair of the OSCE-led Mink Group peace process, in order to ensure the safety and security of the Armenian people. The United States must not allow its leadership role in the OSCE-led peace process to be usurped by the authoritarian regimes of Russia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. 

Editor’s note: click here for Senator Menendez statement, Senator Markey’s statement, and the Armenian Caucus statement.

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