Wednesday, April 1 2020 11:29

ArmInfo. Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) today called for expanded U.S. military assistance to Armenia and the immediate  suspension in military assistance to Azerbaijan, citing the Aliyev  regime's ongoing attacks against Armenia and Artsakh and verified  reports by the U.S. State Department of torture and human rights  abuses by the Azerbaijani government, reported the Armenian National  Committee of America (ANCA).  

"The United States should immediately suspend military aid to Azerbaijan until its government ceases its attacks against Armenia and Artsakh, agrees to the peaceful  resolution of regional conflicts, and proves it has halted all human  rights abuses," stated Chairman Pallone in his testimony to the House  Armed Services Committee, as they prepare the Fiscal Year 2021  National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). "We must also strive to  send a more supportive signal to our regional partners currently  undergoing positive, democratic transitions like Armenia by  increasing security assistance and bolstering strategic cooperation  between our countries," stated Rep. Pallone

March 30th cross-border sniper fire by Azerbaijan injured two  Armenian servicemen and hospitalized a child who was shot in the  chest while playing on his apartment balcony. Hamparian issued a  statement yesterday noting that the attacks confirm two realities:  "1) The unwillingness of the OSCE to confront countless acts of  obvious Azerbaijani aggression against both Armenia and Artsakh - in  favor of the false- parity of generically calling on all parties to  refrain from violence - has emboldened Baku to the point that it is  today willing to risk a regional war during a global pandemic; 2)  Armenians will never accept a Madrid-style deal that requires Artsakh  to cede vast territory, strategic depth, sovereignty, and security  upfront in return for vague, reversible paper promises from  Azerbaijan that it will agree - at some undetermined point in the  future - to an undefined process regarding Artsakh's status." In his  testimony, Rep. Pallone expressed concern that ongoing U.S. military  assistance to Azerbaijan is emboldening cross-border attacks. "For  years, the United States has invested in a negotiated peace to the  conflict in the former Nagorno Karabakh, including humanitarian  assistance funding for the HALO Trust's landmine and unexploded  ordnance clearance efforts in Artsakh. Unfortunately, intimidation  and cross- border attacks against Armenia and Artsakh are ongoing, in  part, because of continued U.S. military assistance to the  Azerbaijani government," said Pallone.

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hambaryan welcomed the US congressman's  appeal, noting that it came just a few hours after the Azerbaijani  armed forces once again violated the ceasefire on the Armenian-  Azerbaijani state border, as a result of which three were injured,  including child.