A bipartisan group of over 40 U.S. Representatives joined the Congressional Armenian Caucus leadership in calling on the Biden Administration to take concrete action at the United Nations Security Council to “establish a mandate and peacekeeping mission” to protect Artsakh’s (Nagorno-Karabakh) 120,000 Armenian Christians from Azerbaijan’s ongoing genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.
In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, legislators condemned Azerbaijan’s genocidal blockade and assault on Artsakh’s civilian population. “The large-scale attack by Azerbaijani forces this week was the most egregious escalation of their genocidal campaign against Armenians to date. It was designed to subjugate a population that endured months of starvation at the hands of the Azerbaijani regime as President Aliyev repeatedly promised peace and de-escalation to the United States and other international actors.”
Legislators outlined concrete actions the United Nations can take to protect Artsakh’s Armenian population. “The United Nations must act swiftly to implement independent monitoring on the ground in Nagorno-Karabakh and provide guaranteed protections to prevent the further bloodshed of innocent civilians and ensure the safety and security of Armenians in the region. The U.N. must also provide emergency humanitarian assistance, in coordination with USAID and other state actors, and work to keep the Lachin Corridor open for the transportation of humanitarian aid.”
The lawmakers also called on the Biden Administration to enforce Section 907 restrictions on U.S. military and security assistance to Azerbaijan and “impose sanctions against Azerbaijani officials to send a strong signal that our country will not tolerate political violence.”
Lawmakers concluded their letter, noting: “We firmly believe the United States and the international community have a responsibility to act and prevent a second Armenian Genocide, which we are currently seeing unfold before our eyes. This moment could be the final opportunity to save these people and prevent full-scale ethnic cleansing. Do not waste it.”
The Congressional letter comes on the eve of Thursday’s United Nations Security Council session where Azerbaijan’s attacks on Artsakh are scheduled to be discussed.
