ANCA calls on US Congress to promote administration policies supporting Armenia and Artsakh

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has published Armenian American policy priorities, calling on Members of Congress to enact legislation and promote the policies supporting Armenia and Artsakh.

According to ANCA, Armenian American policy priorities are as follows:

“Deterring Further Azerbaijani Aggression: The United States must act immediately to end Azerbaijan’s occupation of regions of southern Armenia and prevent any attempt to invade Armenia or forcibly establish a so-called ‘Zangezur corridor’ to Turkey, by doing the following:

— Enforce statutory prohibitions on military assistance to Azerbaijan, under Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, to ensure Azerbaijan is not rewarded for its aggression.

— Impose Global Magnitsky and Leahy Law sanctions on Azerbaijani officials and military units guilty of war crimes and gross violations of human rights.

— Investigate the widely documented human rights abuses and war crimes perpetrated by Azerbaijan against the Armenians of Artsakh.

— Join European and Canadian partners in supporting the European Union’s Monitoring Mission in southern Armenia, with personnel, logistical support, and funding.

— Establish a permanent U.S. diplomatic presence in Southern Armenia to demonstrate support for Armenia’s sovereignty in the face of threats of Azerbaijani aggression.

Supporting the Right to Return of Artsakh’s Armenians: The United States must materially support the right to return for Armenians to their indigenous homeland in Artsakh, with robust international guarantees for their rights and security under the auspices of a permanent international peacekeeping presence.

— Support the passage of a United Nations Security Council resolution establishing a permanent UN monitoring and peacekeeping presence in Artsakh that will ensure the rights and security of Armenians who seek to return to their homes.

— Allocate robust U.S. humanitarian, housing, and developmental assistance to materially support Armenian families from Artsakh that seek to return to their homes.

— Secure the release of Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) and political prisoners currently illegally held by Azerbaijan.

— Pursue material compensation and reparations from Azerbaijan for Armenians forcibly displaced and unable to return to their homes.

— Ensure unhindered access by parishioners, cultural preservationists and others to Armenian cultural and religious sites under the control of Azerbaijan in order to ensure the protection of Artsakh’s ancient Christian heritage from further acts of desecration

Supporting Meaningful Humanitarian Assistance to Artsakh’s Refugees: The United States must substantially increase the amount of humanitarian assistance provided to address the acute refugee crisis resulting from Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing of Artsakh.

— Provide additional humanitarian assistance to meet the urgent needs of Armenian refugees forced from Artsakh for housing and resettlement, food security, economic development, psychosocial assistance, and other needs by supporting international humanitarian organizations, non-profits, and community-led organizations on the ground.”