Capitol Hill's pro-Armenian drive gains traction as elections near Where money of lobbyists speaks loudest

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has announced that an event focusing on "Artsakh" will take place in the US Congress on September 19. According to Armenian media, Congress members and public figures will gather on Capitol Hill to discuss holding Azerbaijan "accountable for the 'genocide in 'Artsakh' (Nagorno-Karabakh) from 2020 to 2023" and to advocate for a "program supporting the safe return of Armenians to 'Artsakh'".

These types of events, which periodically occur in Europe and America, raise questions about their broader purpose. What practical benefits do they provide to their organizers, Armenia, or the Armenians who chose not to accept Azerbaijani citizenship and voluntarily left the Karabakh region?

Renowned experts offered their insights on this topic to Caliber.Az.

According to analyst Rashad Rzaguliyev, "It is no secret that the US Congress is an old ‘lair’ of Armenian lobbyism, skillfully speculating with the votes of Americans of Armenian origin. There are quite a few of the latter, about 2 million voters. On the eve of any electoral cycles in the United States, there is an aggravation of ‘Armenian love’ — and this ‘good’ American tradition does not surprise anyone."

However, Rzaguliyev adds, "the entire global Christian political world is close and understandable to marginal Armenia in the context of the progressing ‘clash of civilizations’ on the planet, which Samuel Huntington prophesied in his world-famous treatise."

"But the issue lies elsewhere," he argues. "In the past, once an election cycle in the United States concluded, the ‘Armenian issue’ was typically sidelined. This time, however, the situation might be different. Both Azerbaijan and Armenia have chosen distinct geopolitical paths. Armenia has aligned itself with the distant Global West, hoping for support and protection for its fragile statehood in exchange for acting as a geopolitical proxy in the region. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has sought to establish equal partnerships with countries of the so-called Global South, maintaining friendly relations with all major geopolitical centres. Baku's initiative to join the BRICS bloc as the tenth member underscores this strategy."

"Considering the escalating conflicts in the Middle East and Europe," the expert predicts, "we might see a further widening divide between the new democratic administration in the US under Kamala Harris, some European countries, and Azerbaijan."

"But there is no need to be surprised and panic about this," he believes.

“After our country's victory in the 2020 war, Azerbaijan emerged as a leading force in the South Caucasus, a new historical entity with colossal prospects for growth and development. The test of strength is an integral part of the world geopolitical game. We need to be ready for it,” Rzaguliyev said.

Political observer Murad Sadaddinov added that to understand why these events are being held and what they serve, one must consider several key factors.

"Who, why, and for what purposes is organizing all this? This is being done by the Armenian diaspora and certain lobbyists. One should take into account that America is currently awaiting presidential elections, with Congressional and Senate elections also on the horizon. In this context, as always, potential congressmen and senators are interested in the financial support of the Armenian diaspora and the votes of Armenian citizens in the United States. That is why they are more than willing to organize such events," the expert explained.

On the other hand, he emphasized that lobbyists who traditionally collaborate with the Armenian diaspora and manage substantial financial flows continue their activities even though the so-called "Artsakh" has lost its relevance. This persistence is not about achieving real outcomes; rather, it's because the financial schemes have already been established. Their work has become routine, focused more on maintaining benefits from established channels than on producing tangible results.

"That means lobbyists are mainly interested in carrying out these activities to secure their share of the funds. Congressmen, on the other hand, are looking to gain votes and subsidies from their constituents.

But none of these actions will impact the situation in the South Caucasus or Azerbaijan. Even during the most challenging times, when the Karabakh lands were under occupation, similar actions were taken abroad without any practical results. Today, with Baku fully controlling the liberated territories and the Armenian leadership officially acknowledging that Karabakh is Azerbaijan, the goals promoted at such events have no future," Sadaddinov concluded.