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Armenian Assembly of America News
1334 G Street, N.W., Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 393-3434
Fax: (202) 638-4904
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://armenianassembly.tumblr.com/
Azerbaijan Attacks on Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh Raised During State
Department Daily Press Briefing
By Taniel Koushakjian
AAANews Blog
July 8, 2014
On Wednesday, July 2nd, a member of Armenia's press service in Washington,
D.C. raised the issue of Azerbaijan military attacks on Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh during the U.S. State Department's daily press briefing.
`There is a noticeable escalation of anti-Armenian rhetoric in Azerbaijan
recently,' stated Haykaram Nahapetyan, Armenian Public Television's
Washington correspondent. Azerbaijan violated the fragile ceasefire
agreement `not only in line of contact with Karabakh, but also across the
state border with Armenia, severely shelling civilian rural settlements in
northeastern part of Armenia,' Nahapetyan said.
Referring to the U.S. role as a co-chair of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, Nahapetyan asked State
Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki if she was following the situation and if
the U.S. had `put any efforts to restrain Azerbaijan from belligerent
statements and action?'
Psaki reiterated that the U.S. is `committed to helping both sides
reach a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It's
our hope that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan will accept
French President Hollande's invitation to hold a summit in Paris as
soon as possible, and that they will agree to structured negotiations
that will lead to a peace agreement.' She also called on the
President's of Armenia and Azerbaijan to `redouble their efforts at
the negotiation table.'
Psaki recognized the vitriolic statements emanating from Baku. `Obviously,
inflammatory rhetoric and statements run counter to the principle of
reducing tensions,' she said, acknowledging that such provocation
`damages
the peace process.'
Days after the Azerbaijan attacks were raised in Washington the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic (NKR) Defense Ministry reported that approximately 600
ceasefire violations had occurred between June 25-July 5. One of the
incidents resulted in the death of NKR soldier Armen Avetisyan, 19, who was
killed along the NKR-Azerbaijan line of contact. The Azerbaijan Defense
Ministry denied the reports and accused the Armenian side of violating the
ceasefire.
At least 17 soldiers on both sides have died from cross border violations
to date this year.
A transcript of the question and answer exchange between Nahapetyan and
Psaki is available below.
###
U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing
Wednesday July 2, 2014
QUESTION: Yeah, thank you. There is a noticeable escalation of
anti-Armenian rhetoric in Azerbaijan recently. Ilham Aliyev personally
called Armenia a historic Azerbaijan land this time, which analysts
qualified as territorial claim. The main question is about the violation
of ceasefire recent weeks. Azerbaijan violated ceasefire not only in line
of contact with Karabakh, but also across the state border with Armenia,
severely shelling civilian rural settlements in northeastern part of
Armenia. Some local authorities already have reported that full-scale war
has already broken out.
So as a co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group, do you follow the situation and any
do you put any efforts to restrain Azerbaijan from belligerent statements
and action? Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Well, we are committed - as a co-chair, we're committed to
helping both sides reach a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. It's our hope that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan will
accept French President Hollande's invitation to hold a summit in Paris as
soon as possible, and that they will agree to structured negotiations that
will lead to a peace agreement. And we call on both sides to redouble
their efforts at the negotiation table and to focus on the benefits that
peace will bring to people across the region. Obviously, inflammatory
rhetoric and statements run counter to the principle of reducing tensions,
and so we certainly think that that damages the peace process, and that's
why we're encouraging them to redouble their efforts.
QUESTION: Jen, have you seen the reports that (inaudible) civilian
settlements this time has been bombarded by Azerbaijan in Armenia?
MS. PSAKI: I don't have any confirmation of those specific reports, but
clearly, a peaceful settlement is in the interests of both countries.
Available online at: http://bit.ly/1tjrTnZ
1334 G Street, N.W., Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 393-3434
Fax: (202) 638-4904
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://armenianassembly.tumblr.com/
Azerbaijan Attacks on Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh Raised During State
Department Daily Press Briefing
By Taniel Koushakjian
AAANews Blog
July 8, 2014
On Wednesday, July 2nd, a member of Armenia's press service in Washington,
D.C. raised the issue of Azerbaijan military attacks on Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh during the U.S. State Department's daily press briefing.
`There is a noticeable escalation of anti-Armenian rhetoric in Azerbaijan
recently,' stated Haykaram Nahapetyan, Armenian Public Television's
Washington correspondent. Azerbaijan violated the fragile ceasefire
agreement `not only in line of contact with Karabakh, but also across the
state border with Armenia, severely shelling civilian rural settlements in
northeastern part of Armenia,' Nahapetyan said.
Referring to the U.S. role as a co-chair of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, Nahapetyan asked State
Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki if she was following the situation and if
the U.S. had `put any efforts to restrain Azerbaijan from belligerent
statements and action?'
Psaki reiterated that the U.S. is `committed to helping both sides
reach a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It's
our hope that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan will accept
French President Hollande's invitation to hold a summit in Paris as
soon as possible, and that they will agree to structured negotiations
that will lead to a peace agreement.' She also called on the
President's of Armenia and Azerbaijan to `redouble their efforts at
the negotiation table.'
Psaki recognized the vitriolic statements emanating from Baku. `Obviously,
inflammatory rhetoric and statements run counter to the principle of
reducing tensions,' she said, acknowledging that such provocation
`damages
the peace process.'
Days after the Azerbaijan attacks were raised in Washington the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic (NKR) Defense Ministry reported that approximately 600
ceasefire violations had occurred between June 25-July 5. One of the
incidents resulted in the death of NKR soldier Armen Avetisyan, 19, who was
killed along the NKR-Azerbaijan line of contact. The Azerbaijan Defense
Ministry denied the reports and accused the Armenian side of violating the
ceasefire.
At least 17 soldiers on both sides have died from cross border violations
to date this year.
A transcript of the question and answer exchange between Nahapetyan and
Psaki is available below.
###
U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing
Wednesday July 2, 2014
QUESTION: Yeah, thank you. There is a noticeable escalation of
anti-Armenian rhetoric in Azerbaijan recently. Ilham Aliyev personally
called Armenia a historic Azerbaijan land this time, which analysts
qualified as territorial claim. The main question is about the violation
of ceasefire recent weeks. Azerbaijan violated ceasefire not only in line
of contact with Karabakh, but also across the state border with Armenia,
severely shelling civilian rural settlements in northeastern part of
Armenia. Some local authorities already have reported that full-scale war
has already broken out.
So as a co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group, do you follow the situation and any
do you put any efforts to restrain Azerbaijan from belligerent statements
and action? Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Well, we are committed - as a co-chair, we're committed to
helping both sides reach a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. It's our hope that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan will
accept French President Hollande's invitation to hold a summit in Paris as
soon as possible, and that they will agree to structured negotiations that
will lead to a peace agreement. And we call on both sides to redouble
their efforts at the negotiation table and to focus on the benefits that
peace will bring to people across the region. Obviously, inflammatory
rhetoric and statements run counter to the principle of reducing tensions,
and so we certainly think that that damages the peace process, and that's
why we're encouraging them to redouble their efforts.
QUESTION: Jen, have you seen the reports that (inaudible) civilian
settlements this time has been bombarded by Azerbaijan in Armenia?
MS. PSAKI: I don't have any confirmation of those specific reports, but
clearly, a peaceful settlement is in the interests of both countries.
Available online at: http://bit.ly/1tjrTnZ