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STATE DEPT. RESPONDS TO ANCA CONCERNS ON AZERI AGGRESSION
Philip Gordon
http://asbarez.com/103698/state-dept-responds-to-anca-concerns-on-azeri-aggression/
Continues Artificial Even-Handedness in Condemning Azerbaijan's Recent
Cease-Fire Violations
WASHINGTON-The State Department, once again, failed to properly condemn
Azerbaijan's escalating violence against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,
in a June 13th letter responding to Armenian National Committee of
America concerns about Azerbaijan's recent cross-border attacks.
The response came to a letter from ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian on the
Azerbaijani attacks against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh from June
4 to 6 that left eight soldiers dead and more wounded. Assistant
Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Phil Gordon,
responding for Secretary Clinton, "deeply regret[ed] this senseless
loss of life" and went on to note that "the United States has urged
the parties to refrain from the use or threat of force."
"We remain deeply disturbed by the ongoing artificial even-handedness
applied to a belligerent Azerbaijani leadership, which has repeatedly
shown - through threats and violence - a blatant disregard for
international calls for a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh
conflict," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "This time it was
8 soldiers who were killed on the front lines - brazenly timed to
coincide with Secretary Clinton's visit to the region. How many more
must die before we hear a clear rebuke from the U.S. and international
community of Azerbaijan's escalating violence and war-rhetoric?"
The complete text of Assistant Secretary of State Gordon's June 13
response to the ANCA is provided below. Read the ANCA's June 4 letter
to Secretary Clinton.
Commenting on the ANCA's concerns about reports of an impending sale
of military equipment to Azerbaijan for use on helicopters for border
monitoring, Gordon noted "the United States' security assistance to
the region is carefully considered to ensure it does not undermine
efforts for a peaceful settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh."
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has circulated a set
of seven specific policy recommendations for the Obama Administration
and the U.S. Congress to check Baku's aggression and support the
peaceful and democratic resolution of Azerbaijan's conflicts with
Armenia and the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. Among the recommendations
is a call for the Obama Administration to "suspend all military aid
to Azerbaijan, and stop the sale or transfer to Baku of any military
equipment or dual-use items (including the proposed sale of advanced
helicopter-based surveillance equipment - DDTC 12-002)."
Review the recommendations and urge Congress to take action.
Pending Military Hardware Sale to Azerbaijan of Congressional Concern
Azerbaijan's threats against Armenia and Karabakh and a possible
U.S. weapons sale to the Aliyev regime were issues of concern at last
week's Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing for
U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan designate Richard Morningstar.
During his questioning, Senator Robert Menendez cited Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev's recent assertion that "Our [Azerbaijan's] main
enemies are Armenians of the world," and asked Ambassador-Designate
Morningstar "do you think, based upon those types of statements,
that the proposed sales of military hardware to be used in conjunction
with Azerbaijan's military helicopter fleet is really in the national
interest of the United States?"
Morningstar argued, "There are increasing tensions with respect to
other neighbors, in particular with Iran. And we have to provide, I
think, security assistance, possibly military assistance in ways that
cannot be used to exacerbate any situation with respect to Armenia or
Nagorno Karabakh." Menendez was quick to respond, reminding Morningstar
that "I didn't hear President Aliyev say 'My main enemy or security
concern is Iran,' he said that, 'Our main enemies are the Armenians of
the world.' [. . .] I have a real problem with going ahead and selling
military hardware to the Azerbaijanis based upon what has happened."
Watch Senator Menendez's exchange with Ambassador Designate
Morningstar.
Alarm bells regarding the State Department's consideration of a sale of
helicopter equipment which could be used for cross-border monitoring
were first raised in a letter by House Foreign Affairs Committee
Ranking Democrat Howard Berman to Secretary Clinton last month. In
addition to possible attacks against Armenia, Rep. Berman expressed
concern about the "message that such a sale would send to the regional
parties, both in terms of perceived U.S. even-handedness and in terms
of our seriousness about persuading Baku to cease its bellicose
rhetoric and agree to Minsk Group co-chair demands that it remove
its snipers from the 'line of contact' in the Nagorno-Karabakh region."
Read complete text of Rep. Berman's letter to the Secretary of State.
Text of Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
Philip Gordon's Response to ANCA
Dear Mr. Hachikian:
Thank you for your letter of June 4, 2012, to Secretary Clinton. I
am responding on the Secretary's behalf.
We are following reports regarding the recent incidents along the
Armenia-Azerbaijan border and deeply regret this senseless loss of
life. As Secretary Clinton emphasized during her recent trip to
the region, the use of force will not solve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. The United States has urged the parties to refrain from
the use or threat of force, and as Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk-Group,
we remain committed to working with the sides to achieve a peaceful
settlement. As the next step in the peace process, the Minsk Group
Co-Chairs will meet later this month with the foreign ministers of
Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Regarding the other issues that you raised, the United States' security
assistance to the region is carefully considered to ensure it does
not undermine efforts for a peaceful settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Department values its ongoing dialogue with the Armenian National
Committee of America regarding these issues. If you have any additional
concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely, Philip H. Gordon
Philip Gordon
http://asbarez.com/103698/state-dept-responds-to-anca-concerns-on-azeri-aggression/
Continues Artificial Even-Handedness in Condemning Azerbaijan's Recent
Cease-Fire Violations
WASHINGTON-The State Department, once again, failed to properly condemn
Azerbaijan's escalating violence against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,
in a June 13th letter responding to Armenian National Committee of
America concerns about Azerbaijan's recent cross-border attacks.
The response came to a letter from ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian on the
Azerbaijani attacks against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh from June
4 to 6 that left eight soldiers dead and more wounded. Assistant
Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Phil Gordon,
responding for Secretary Clinton, "deeply regret[ed] this senseless
loss of life" and went on to note that "the United States has urged
the parties to refrain from the use or threat of force."
"We remain deeply disturbed by the ongoing artificial even-handedness
applied to a belligerent Azerbaijani leadership, which has repeatedly
shown - through threats and violence - a blatant disregard for
international calls for a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh
conflict," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "This time it was
8 soldiers who were killed on the front lines - brazenly timed to
coincide with Secretary Clinton's visit to the region. How many more
must die before we hear a clear rebuke from the U.S. and international
community of Azerbaijan's escalating violence and war-rhetoric?"
The complete text of Assistant Secretary of State Gordon's June 13
response to the ANCA is provided below. Read the ANCA's June 4 letter
to Secretary Clinton.
Commenting on the ANCA's concerns about reports of an impending sale
of military equipment to Azerbaijan for use on helicopters for border
monitoring, Gordon noted "the United States' security assistance to
the region is carefully considered to ensure it does not undermine
efforts for a peaceful settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh."
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has circulated a set
of seven specific policy recommendations for the Obama Administration
and the U.S. Congress to check Baku's aggression and support the
peaceful and democratic resolution of Azerbaijan's conflicts with
Armenia and the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. Among the recommendations
is a call for the Obama Administration to "suspend all military aid
to Azerbaijan, and stop the sale or transfer to Baku of any military
equipment or dual-use items (including the proposed sale of advanced
helicopter-based surveillance equipment - DDTC 12-002)."
Review the recommendations and urge Congress to take action.
Pending Military Hardware Sale to Azerbaijan of Congressional Concern
Azerbaijan's threats against Armenia and Karabakh and a possible
U.S. weapons sale to the Aliyev regime were issues of concern at last
week's Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing for
U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan designate Richard Morningstar.
During his questioning, Senator Robert Menendez cited Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev's recent assertion that "Our [Azerbaijan's] main
enemies are Armenians of the world," and asked Ambassador-Designate
Morningstar "do you think, based upon those types of statements,
that the proposed sales of military hardware to be used in conjunction
with Azerbaijan's military helicopter fleet is really in the national
interest of the United States?"
Morningstar argued, "There are increasing tensions with respect to
other neighbors, in particular with Iran. And we have to provide, I
think, security assistance, possibly military assistance in ways that
cannot be used to exacerbate any situation with respect to Armenia or
Nagorno Karabakh." Menendez was quick to respond, reminding Morningstar
that "I didn't hear President Aliyev say 'My main enemy or security
concern is Iran,' he said that, 'Our main enemies are the Armenians of
the world.' [. . .] I have a real problem with going ahead and selling
military hardware to the Azerbaijanis based upon what has happened."
Watch Senator Menendez's exchange with Ambassador Designate
Morningstar.
Alarm bells regarding the State Department's consideration of a sale of
helicopter equipment which could be used for cross-border monitoring
were first raised in a letter by House Foreign Affairs Committee
Ranking Democrat Howard Berman to Secretary Clinton last month. In
addition to possible attacks against Armenia, Rep. Berman expressed
concern about the "message that such a sale would send to the regional
parties, both in terms of perceived U.S. even-handedness and in terms
of our seriousness about persuading Baku to cease its bellicose
rhetoric and agree to Minsk Group co-chair demands that it remove
its snipers from the 'line of contact' in the Nagorno-Karabakh region."
Read complete text of Rep. Berman's letter to the Secretary of State.
Text of Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
Philip Gordon's Response to ANCA
Dear Mr. Hachikian:
Thank you for your letter of June 4, 2012, to Secretary Clinton. I
am responding on the Secretary's behalf.
We are following reports regarding the recent incidents along the
Armenia-Azerbaijan border and deeply regret this senseless loss of
life. As Secretary Clinton emphasized during her recent trip to
the region, the use of force will not solve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. The United States has urged the parties to refrain from
the use or threat of force, and as Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk-Group,
we remain committed to working with the sides to achieve a peaceful
settlement. As the next step in the peace process, the Minsk Group
Co-Chairs will meet later this month with the foreign ministers of
Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Regarding the other issues that you raised, the United States' security
assistance to the region is carefully considered to ensure it does
not undermine efforts for a peaceful settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Department values its ongoing dialogue with the Armenian National
Committee of America regarding these issues. If you have any additional
concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely, Philip H. Gordon