Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs call on Biden administration to ensure Azerbaijan follows international laws

The US Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs have issued a joint statement calling on the Biden Administration to hold Azerbaijan accountable for its ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh, facilitate the return of Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh, and support Armenia’s sovereignty in the face of ongoing Azerbaijani aggression, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reports.

The Congressional Armenian Caucus statement, which coincides with the opening of the NATO Summit in Washington, DC, this week, calls on the Biden Administration to “ensure Azerbaijan faces consequences for its actions and is not rewarded for war crimes, human rights abuses, and the ethnic cleansing of over 120,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.”

It goes on to note that, “America must support Armenia’s sovereignty and reject Azerbaijan’s aggressive demands. This means stopping military aid to Azerbaijan and sanctioning officials responsible for abuses.”

“As leaders gather at the NATO Summit, the Biden Administration must ensure Azerbaijan follows international laws, including returning Armenian prisoners of war, protecting cultural heritage sites, upholding the right of Armenians to return to their homes in Nagorno-Karabakh under international guarantees. Accountability is crucial for lasting peace in the South Caucasus,” the statement concludes.

The statement was signed by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Rep. David Valadao (R-CA).