Senator Anthony Portantino: The international community has failed in the Artsakh issue

We should all talk about everything that Azerbaijan has done to Artsakh and Artsakh Armenians, California Senator Anthony Portantino said in an interview with Alpha News.

“Everyone is saddened by what happened in Artsakh. No one is glad about what happened. It is clear that the international community has failed on this issue, first with the blockade and then with the refugees. We are heartbroken. After the war, I visited Artsakh four times, and I was simply amazed by the resistance shown by the people. We all must take steps to condemn the potential genocide and Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression; we have a lot to do. We all must speak out about everything that Azerbaijan has done and continues to do,” Portantino said.

He stressed that everything that Azerbaijan has done is enough for the United States to impose sanctions.

“Everything that Azerbaijan has done is enough for the United States to start applying sanctions. But not only the United States, but the entire international community—the human rights community—must speak out against the displacement of peaceful civilians from their homeland. There is no justification for Azerbaijan’s actions against the people of Artsakh. The blockade was already inhumane, and it did not receive a proper response from the international community, which led to new aggression. If it were not for the internal strength and resistance of the Armenians, it is unclear what would have happened to them,” the senator noted.

Portantino emphasized that the international community is not taking the necessary steps and is not defending the Armenian issue as strongly as it can.

“It is disgusting that the international community does not take a single step, does not defend the Armenian issue more decisively, and does not criticize the Azerbaijanis and Turks. The Trump administration turned a blind eye to Erdogan’s aggressive behavior, which must be condemned. I believe the Biden administration must stand more firmly on the side of Armenians and Artsakh. We are talking about protecting democracy around the world, and Armenia is a democratic country.

Yes, Turkiye is a NATO member country, and we have a NATO base there, but this does not mean that we should not speak out against the violations of human and civil rights, totalitarianism, and dictatorship. Turkiye is not a democratic country. When they restrict the media, we should talk about all this. They do not behave like good neighbors, supporting Azerbaijan’s aggression against Artsakh,” the senator concluded.