Western Azerbaijan Community urges US not to fall for Armenia's lies

The Western Azerbaijan Community has called on the US to cease supporting Armenia's infringement upon Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and uphold the inalienable right of expelled Azerbaijanis from Armenia to return to their homes.

The community made the remarks in response to the anti-Azerbaijani statement made by acting US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Yuri Kim at a senate hearing organised by Senator Bob Menendez on September 14, Caliber.Az reports.

The community also noted that Menendez is currently under investigation by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation due to his corrupt ties with the pro-Armenia lobby.

“The US official demanded the immediate opening of the Lachin road and stated that they will not accept the use of force ‘against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh’. First of all, it is well known to the US government that the Lachin road is not closed.

The government of Armenia, which has a territorial claim against Azerbaijan, and leftovers of the nefarious puppet regime that Armenia still supports in the Karabakh region [Garabagh – ed.] of Azerbaijan are preventing the use of this road within the framework of Azerbaijan's laws.

Regarding Y. Kim's baseless claim about actually non-existent threats to the Armenian residents living in the Karabakh region [Garabagh] of Azerbaijan, we would like to ask why the US government is indifferent to the fact that Armenia expelled 300,000 Azerbaijanis from its territory and 700,000 Azerbaijanis from the territories it once occupied.

Likewise, the US stayed silent when Armenia ignored the resolutions of the UN Security Council, committed acts of violence resulting in the deaths of more than 20,000 Azerbaijani civilians, destroyed more than 900 Azerbaijani settlements, contaminated a part of Azerbaijan's territory with mines, and refuses to clarify the fate of more than 4,000 Azerbaijanis it took hostage.

The fact that the US government, which is fully aware of all the intricacies of the relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the situation on the ground, turns a blind eye to so many injustices committed against Azerbaijanis and supports the baseless claims of Armenia is incompatible with the claimed role of the United States as a ‘the global defender of human rights’ or as the partner for promoting peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The USA, a nation that claims to value peace and justice, has yet to demand that Armenia withdraw the remnants of its army from the territories of Azerbaijan and disarm illegal Armenian armed groups. Whereas the United States unconditionally recognises the territorial integrity and sovereignty of other countries in the post-Soviet space and opposes separatism, it is unacceptable that the United States is ambiguous when it comes to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

Kim's commanding tone is also inappropriate and unacceptable. The State Department official has the wrong address. We remind Y. Kim that US politicians and diplomats raise the issue of American sovereignty everywhere. The sovereignty of Azerbaijan is no different from the sovereignty of any other country, including the United States, which Ms. Kim represents.

The US government should not be swayed by Armenia's manipulations, should not display ethnic bias when it comes to protection of human rights, should not interfere in the internal affairs of Azerbaijan, and must support the safe and dignified return of Azerbaijanis who were expelled from Armenia,” the statement reads.