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CALIFORNIA MEDIA OUTLETS EXPRESS OUTRAGE OVER THE PRO-ARMENIAN RESOLUTION
Trend, Azerbaijan
May 12 2014
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 12
By Sabina Ahmadova - Trend:
The resolution AJR 32 regarding the so-called "independence" of
Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region - currently under illegal
occupation by Armenia -, discussed on May 5 and passed on May 8 by
the California State Assembly under the huge pressure by the Armenian
lobby, was received with outrage by various California media outlets.
Stressing that Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as part of Azerbaijan
both by U.S. Government and the whole international community, the
media outlets characterized the resolution as a noxious interference
by the California Assembly in U.S. foreign policy, the Consulate
General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles told Trend.
Dan Walters, a renowned reporter for the newspaper "Sacramento Bee",
which is the most widely read political newspaper in California, said
in a video-blog that the California State Legislature is involving
Californians' time and money into dabbling in foreign affairs. "Why
should the Legislature be passing resolutions on this or that side of
an international conflict," he asks. Referring to AJR 32, Mr. Walters
says that "according to U.S. official policy, the Nagorno-Karabakh
region belongs to Azerbaijan, which means that this resolution
contradicts American foreign policy." Noting that this resolution
will anyway have no effect on the conflict situation on the ground,
Walters mentions that the Armenian lobby in California is putting
much pressure on the Legislature to pass the resolution. "And the
Legislature doesn't have the capacity to say "NO" to these people. It
should say "NO" and stay out of these things and pay attention to
the business of the people of California, and not to the people of
the Caucasus many thousands of miles away," he concludes.
Even a newspaper published in the district of the resolution's main
author Mike Gatto has expressed unease with the resolution. In an
article published by "Crescenta Valley Weekly" the article's author
mentions that both the U.S. Government and four resolutions passed
by the UN Security Council recognize Nagorno-Karabakh belonging to
Azerbaijan. The author also highlights the mass expulsion of hundreds
of thousands of Azerbaijanis from Armenia as well as from the occupied
regions of Azerbaijan by Armenia, and mentions the war crimes committed
by Armenian forces against Azerbaijani civilians.
Referring to Azerbaijan's Consul General in Los Angeles Nasimi
Aghayev, the author notes that this very divisive resolution is
pitting the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of California
against each other, "stirring ethnic tension and animosity in such a
diverse and multicultural state as California." The article ends by
stressing that other U.S. "states have taken the opposite course of
California, instead affirming the foreign policy views of the federal
government," and mentions in this regard the resolutions passed by
Arizona Legislature on January 30, 2014 recognizing Azerbaijan's
territorial integrity.
An analytical blog widely read in California's political circles
named "California Political News & Views" also published an article
on the issue. Titled "Sacramento Democtrats want foreign policy
instead of Jobs" the article says: "The State of California is in a
Depression-our real unemployment is in the 15% raise, taxes are high,
businesses leaving the State, the pension system is collapsing. We
have a $16.7 billion cash deficit... But Assemblyman Gatto has
time to create a resolution giving California a foreign policy in
re: Armenia and Azerbaijan!" The same blog has also published an
article by Azerbaijan's Consul General in Los Angeles Aghayev entitled
"California Legislature should not allow Armenian lobby to manipulate
it into harming US foreign policy and national interests."
Two articles published by "Los Angeles Times" also highlight
the issue. The articles' author Melanie Mason stresses that
Nagorno-Karabakh is considered as part of Azerbaijan by the U.S.
Government, "therefore the resolution diverges from the State
Department at a particularly sensitive time, given the upheaval in
eastern Ukraine." Placing comments under both articles, the LA Times
readers have also expressed indignaton with the resolution suggesting
to the California legislators to pay more attention to solving
California's urgent problems instead of dealing with foreign policy.
The political blog specializing on ethnic separatism and conflicts
"Springtime of Nations" also highlighted the biasedness of the
resolution. An article published on the blog titled "California
Assembly Passes Resolution Approving Ethnic Cleansing" lambasts the
resolution. Informing the readers on the illegal military occupation
and ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijan's lands by Armenia, as well as
war crimes committed against Azerbaijanis civilians such as the
Khojaly Massacre of 1992, the author notes that by passing this
pro-Armenian resolution the California Assembly has only approved
all these horrible crimes.
http://en.trend.az/news/karabakh/2272815.html
Trend, Azerbaijan
May 12 2014
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 12
By Sabina Ahmadova - Trend:
The resolution AJR 32 regarding the so-called "independence" of
Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region - currently under illegal
occupation by Armenia -, discussed on May 5 and passed on May 8 by
the California State Assembly under the huge pressure by the Armenian
lobby, was received with outrage by various California media outlets.
Stressing that Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as part of Azerbaijan
both by U.S. Government and the whole international community, the
media outlets characterized the resolution as a noxious interference
by the California Assembly in U.S. foreign policy, the Consulate
General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles told Trend.
Dan Walters, a renowned reporter for the newspaper "Sacramento Bee",
which is the most widely read political newspaper in California, said
in a video-blog that the California State Legislature is involving
Californians' time and money into dabbling in foreign affairs. "Why
should the Legislature be passing resolutions on this or that side of
an international conflict," he asks. Referring to AJR 32, Mr. Walters
says that "according to U.S. official policy, the Nagorno-Karabakh
region belongs to Azerbaijan, which means that this resolution
contradicts American foreign policy." Noting that this resolution
will anyway have no effect on the conflict situation on the ground,
Walters mentions that the Armenian lobby in California is putting
much pressure on the Legislature to pass the resolution. "And the
Legislature doesn't have the capacity to say "NO" to these people. It
should say "NO" and stay out of these things and pay attention to
the business of the people of California, and not to the people of
the Caucasus many thousands of miles away," he concludes.
Even a newspaper published in the district of the resolution's main
author Mike Gatto has expressed unease with the resolution. In an
article published by "Crescenta Valley Weekly" the article's author
mentions that both the U.S. Government and four resolutions passed
by the UN Security Council recognize Nagorno-Karabakh belonging to
Azerbaijan. The author also highlights the mass expulsion of hundreds
of thousands of Azerbaijanis from Armenia as well as from the occupied
regions of Azerbaijan by Armenia, and mentions the war crimes committed
by Armenian forces against Azerbaijani civilians.
Referring to Azerbaijan's Consul General in Los Angeles Nasimi
Aghayev, the author notes that this very divisive resolution is
pitting the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of California
against each other, "stirring ethnic tension and animosity in such a
diverse and multicultural state as California." The article ends by
stressing that other U.S. "states have taken the opposite course of
California, instead affirming the foreign policy views of the federal
government," and mentions in this regard the resolutions passed by
Arizona Legislature on January 30, 2014 recognizing Azerbaijan's
territorial integrity.
An analytical blog widely read in California's political circles
named "California Political News & Views" also published an article
on the issue. Titled "Sacramento Democtrats want foreign policy
instead of Jobs" the article says: "The State of California is in a
Depression-our real unemployment is in the 15% raise, taxes are high,
businesses leaving the State, the pension system is collapsing. We
have a $16.7 billion cash deficit... But Assemblyman Gatto has
time to create a resolution giving California a foreign policy in
re: Armenia and Azerbaijan!" The same blog has also published an
article by Azerbaijan's Consul General in Los Angeles Aghayev entitled
"California Legislature should not allow Armenian lobby to manipulate
it into harming US foreign policy and national interests."
Two articles published by "Los Angeles Times" also highlight
the issue. The articles' author Melanie Mason stresses that
Nagorno-Karabakh is considered as part of Azerbaijan by the U.S.
Government, "therefore the resolution diverges from the State
Department at a particularly sensitive time, given the upheaval in
eastern Ukraine." Placing comments under both articles, the LA Times
readers have also expressed indignaton with the resolution suggesting
to the California legislators to pay more attention to solving
California's urgent problems instead of dealing with foreign policy.
The political blog specializing on ethnic separatism and conflicts
"Springtime of Nations" also highlighted the biasedness of the
resolution. An article published on the blog titled "California
Assembly Passes Resolution Approving Ethnic Cleansing" lambasts the
resolution. Informing the readers on the illegal military occupation
and ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijan's lands by Armenia, as well as
war crimes committed against Azerbaijanis civilians such as the
Khojaly Massacre of 1992, the author notes that by passing this
pro-Armenian resolution the California Assembly has only approved
all these horrible crimes.
http://en.trend.az/news/karabakh/2272815.html