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Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
October 17, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
STATE DEPARTMENT PRESSES NEW ATTACK AGAINST
NAGORNO KARABAGH SELF-DETERMINATION
-- Dan Fried Repeats New Administration
Line in Remarks in Yerevan
WASHINGTON, DC - Bush Administration officials continued to press
forward their new, more aggressive position against freedom for
Nagorno Karabagh, citing, as recently as today in Yerevan, that a
resolution of this longstanding conflict must proceed from the
principle of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, while remaining
conspicuously silent on the core American value of self-
determination, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).
Over the past several weeks, since the time of Vice President Dick
Cheney's early September visit to Azerbaijan, the Administration
has rolled back any mention of self-determination, eliminating any
reference to this core international legal and democratic principle
from its diplomatic vocabulary. Speaking in Baku, the Vice
President - echoing Azerbaijan's negotiating stand - said that a
Nagorno Karabagh settlement "must proceed" from the principle
of territorial integrity and only "take into account other
principles." As recently as earlier today, in Armenia, Assistant
Secretary of State Dan Fried repeated the newly formulated U.S.
stand that a Nagorno Karabagh settlement must start from the
principle of "territorial integrity," although he did concede that
there were "other established norms," an apparent reference to
democracy and self-determination, which he carefully avoided
naming.
In a January 19, 2008 statement, Presidential candidate Barack
Obama pleged that, if elected, he would work for "a lasting and
durable settlement of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict that is
agreeable to all parties, and based upon America's founding
commitment to the principles of democracy and self determination."
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian addressed the retreat by
Administration officials from its honest broker role in a video
(see text below) posted on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKKPr2KaAu 4
An ANCA action alert provides an opportunity for individuals to
share their views on this matter directly with the White House:
http://capwiz.com/anca/issues/alert/?alerti d=12075481&type=PR
#####
Text of Aram Hamparian's remarks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKKPr2KaAu4
In recent weeks we've seen Bush Administration officials, from Dick
Cheney down to Matt Bryza, abandon even the pretense of a balanced,
honest-broker role for the United States in the Nagorno Karabagh
conflict.
In public statements, here in Washington and in Baku, they've gone
over the top - even by their standards - in siding with
Azerbaijan's efforts to retake Nagorno Karabagh.
Dick Cheney said in Baku that his Administration prioritizes the
principle of territorial integrity, which he's conveniently and
consistently misapplied to the Nagorno Karabagh issue, over the
basic American ideal of self-determination.
Matt Bryza has said that, as a precondition for peace, Armenia must
accept that Nagorno Karabagh remains legally part of Azerbaijan.
These comments would have put the Administration on the side of the
British during the American Revolution.
-- Pressuring our Founding Fathers not to challenge the British
Empire's territorial integrity.
-- Urging them to hold off on signing the Declaration of
Independence because the colonies rightfully remained legally part
of a foreign power.
In their last months in office, these officials are acting a lot
less like responsible stewards of U.S. policy and more like
surrogates for the Azerbaijani Embassy, it's K Street lobbyists,
and energy industry allies.
It's no coincidence that Azerbaijan's President, hearing this
outright cheerleading from Washington, has pledged an all out
political, economic, and military offensive against Armenia.
America stands for something better than defending Stalin's borders
or Azerbaijan's desire to re-subjugate a free people. Something
better than trading in our core values of self-determination,
democracy, and human rights.
We stand - as Americans - for the proposition that democracy can
serve as the only durable foundation for lasting peace; For the
fundamentally American ideal that all people deserve the right to
live free of foreign tyranny -to live under a government of their
own choosing.
If you share our stand, visit the ANCA website - www.anca.org to
join with tens of thousands of your fellow citizens in voicing your
views directly to the White House. Thank you.
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
October 17, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
STATE DEPARTMENT PRESSES NEW ATTACK AGAINST
NAGORNO KARABAGH SELF-DETERMINATION
-- Dan Fried Repeats New Administration
Line in Remarks in Yerevan
WASHINGTON, DC - Bush Administration officials continued to press
forward their new, more aggressive position against freedom for
Nagorno Karabagh, citing, as recently as today in Yerevan, that a
resolution of this longstanding conflict must proceed from the
principle of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, while remaining
conspicuously silent on the core American value of self-
determination, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).
Over the past several weeks, since the time of Vice President Dick
Cheney's early September visit to Azerbaijan, the Administration
has rolled back any mention of self-determination, eliminating any
reference to this core international legal and democratic principle
from its diplomatic vocabulary. Speaking in Baku, the Vice
President - echoing Azerbaijan's negotiating stand - said that a
Nagorno Karabagh settlement "must proceed" from the principle
of territorial integrity and only "take into account other
principles." As recently as earlier today, in Armenia, Assistant
Secretary of State Dan Fried repeated the newly formulated U.S.
stand that a Nagorno Karabagh settlement must start from the
principle of "territorial integrity," although he did concede that
there were "other established norms," an apparent reference to
democracy and self-determination, which he carefully avoided
naming.
In a January 19, 2008 statement, Presidential candidate Barack
Obama pleged that, if elected, he would work for "a lasting and
durable settlement of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict that is
agreeable to all parties, and based upon America's founding
commitment to the principles of democracy and self determination."
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian addressed the retreat by
Administration officials from its honest broker role in a video
(see text below) posted on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKKPr2KaAu 4
An ANCA action alert provides an opportunity for individuals to
share their views on this matter directly with the White House:
http://capwiz.com/anca/issues/alert/?alerti d=12075481&type=PR
#####
Text of Aram Hamparian's remarks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKKPr2KaAu4
In recent weeks we've seen Bush Administration officials, from Dick
Cheney down to Matt Bryza, abandon even the pretense of a balanced,
honest-broker role for the United States in the Nagorno Karabagh
conflict.
In public statements, here in Washington and in Baku, they've gone
over the top - even by their standards - in siding with
Azerbaijan's efforts to retake Nagorno Karabagh.
Dick Cheney said in Baku that his Administration prioritizes the
principle of territorial integrity, which he's conveniently and
consistently misapplied to the Nagorno Karabagh issue, over the
basic American ideal of self-determination.
Matt Bryza has said that, as a precondition for peace, Armenia must
accept that Nagorno Karabagh remains legally part of Azerbaijan.
These comments would have put the Administration on the side of the
British during the American Revolution.
-- Pressuring our Founding Fathers not to challenge the British
Empire's territorial integrity.
-- Urging them to hold off on signing the Declaration of
Independence because the colonies rightfully remained legally part
of a foreign power.
In their last months in office, these officials are acting a lot
less like responsible stewards of U.S. policy and more like
surrogates for the Azerbaijani Embassy, it's K Street lobbyists,
and energy industry allies.
It's no coincidence that Azerbaijan's President, hearing this
outright cheerleading from Washington, has pledged an all out
political, economic, and military offensive against Armenia.
America stands for something better than defending Stalin's borders
or Azerbaijan's desire to re-subjugate a free people. Something
better than trading in our core values of self-determination,
democracy, and human rights.
We stand - as Americans - for the proposition that democracy can
serve as the only durable foundation for lasting peace; For the
fundamentally American ideal that all people deserve the right to
live free of foreign tyranny -to live under a government of their
own choosing.
If you share our stand, visit the ANCA website - www.anca.org to
join with tens of thousands of your fellow citizens in voicing your
views directly to the White House. Thank you.