Azerbaijan decries US Congressional hearing as disrespectful to sovereignty

The Western Azerbaijan Community has issued a statement condemning the accusation made against Azerbaijan during the hearings titled "Human Rights in Azerbaijan After the Fall of Nagorno-Karabakh" held on September 19 by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the US Congress.

According to the statement, the accusations made against Azerbaijan during these hearings are yet another manifestation of disrespect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country and discrimination against Azerbaijanis, Caliber.Az reports.

“We condemn the indifference of the US Congress to the gross violation of the rights of Azerbaijanis by Armenia, including the expulsion of about 800,000 Azerbaijanis from their homeland as a result of the occupation of Azerbaijani territories that lasted almost 30 years and the creation of obstacles to their return,” the Community notes.

The hearings also framed the issue within a religious context, which the community argues undermines peace and stability in the region: “Such an approach strikes a blow to peace and stability in the region and serves to fuel religious and ethnic conflicts. The US Congress shows disrespect to the internationally recognised territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which is unacceptable.”

“The fact that the United States side issued visas to representatives of the separatist regime showed that the United States supported separatism. With regard to the excuses that the legislative body in which the hearings are held is allegedly independent and that the hearings do not reflect the Government's policy, we state that no one has any doubt that these steps were taken precisely at the behest of the United States administration,” the community said.

In conclusion, the Western Azerbaijan Community called for the US Congress to abandon its "discriminatory and provocative approach" and urged support for the right of Azerbaijanis to return to their homeland.

It also stressed the importance of not hindering the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the region.