Israeli think tank condemns US Congressman’s anti-Azerbaijani initiative

Members of the Israeli Dona Gracia Centre for Diplomacy have condemned a bill introduced in the US Congress by Congressman Adam Schiff, which calls for financial assistance to Armenian separatists.

“We, Board Members of Dona Gracia Centre for Diplomacy strongly condemn the known US Congress initiative providing for allocation of financial aid to Armenian separatists,” the statement published by the Israeli prominent Economic Peace Centre says, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

“The draft bill presents uninformed and discriminatory act which promotes unilateral and out-of-context narratives that completely disregards the distressful situation and suffering of over 750,000 Azerbaijani IDPs but favours Armenian separatists,” according to the statement.

“We consider that ethno-religion grounded compassion serves as a key reason for the indicated discrimination against Azerbaijan. In the event of such a document is put forward, it will manifest as an insult to human rights and international law, a precursor of instability, human suffering, and damage to the regional role of the United States. And all this is happening to the detriment of the universal values and principles that the United States defends,” the statement says.

“Given that an author of this initiative relies on Armenian lobby groups, such a discriminatory approach to the right of Azerbaijanis forcibly displaced by Armenia to return to their homes emerges morally repugnant. Those who took this initiative were absolutely silent when 750,000 Azerbaijanis had undergone ethnic cleansing as well as ethnic-grounded genocide in Khojaly having been denied their basic right to return for over 30 years. Now they too remain silent as landmines laid by Armenia continue to kill and maim innocent civilians who are simply exercising their right to return,” the statement reads. 

“We reiterate that it is never too late to take a morally strong, non-discriminatory and fair position. And if the priority is given to the interests of the United States, long deserved peace and well-being of the people of Armenia and Azerbaijan, then the withdrawal of this discriminatory draft bill will not be the issue,” the statement says.

By Naila Huseynova