Actions in support of Artsakh in Brussels, Madrid, Berlin, Washington 

ArmInfo.Actions in support of Artsakh took place in Berlin, Brussels and Washington. 

On my initiative, around thirty MEPs presented to the President of  the European Council  and to the High Representative Josep Borrell  the blockade situation facing Nagorno-Karabakh. We call for rapid  action to relieve [the situation] for the population," MEP Nathalie  Loiseau tweeted. 

The Armenian community of Spain addressed a petition to the Congress  and Senate of Spain over the Azerbaijani blockade of the Lachin  corridor by Azerbaijan, urging them to condemn Azerbaijan's inhuman  actions against the Artsakh people and take effective steps to ensure  Artsakh's security. The Armenian community has called on the Spanish  Parliament to impose sanctions against Azerbaijan and demand that  Azerbaijan immediately unblock the Lachin corridor.

A powerfully worded Congressional letter to President Joe Biden,  spearheaded by Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), called for decisive  U.S. action in response to Azerbaijan's blockade of Artsakh, a  bipartisan reaffirmation of demands to stop U.S. military aid to  Azerbaijan and restart humanitarian assistance to the Armenians of  Artsakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"Armenian Americans from Congressman Schiff's district join our  community and coalition partners across all the House districts  represented by the signatories of this letter in sharing our  appreciation for their principled stand against Azerbaijan's blockade  of Artsakh," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "The Biden  Administration needs to show leadership - immediately halting all  U.S. arms and aid to Azerbaijan and launching a robust emergency  humanitarian aid package for Artsakh."

The letter, sent to the White House earlier today, noted that  Azerbaijan's blockade "is only the most recent example of  Azerbaijan's belligerence, which has followed a well-documented  pattern of abuse against the Armenian population of Artsakh,  motivated by the bombastic rhetoric of the Aliyev regime." The  signatories closed by urging "the Administration to use all tools at  its disposal to ensure the safety of the people of Artsakh, now and  in the future, including cessation of financial support to Azerbaijan  and imposition of sanctions. We cannot allow Azerbaijan's policy of  aggression and intimidation to continue."

Joining Rep. Schiff in cosigning the letter to President Biden are  fellow Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ),  Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Jackie Speier (D-CA), and David Valadao (R-CA),  as well as Representatives Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Joaquin Castro  (D-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Katherine Clark  (D-MA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Jimmy Gomez (D- CA),  Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), James Langevin  (D-RI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Susie Lee (D-CA), Ted Lieu (D-CA),  Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), James McGovern (D-MA), Grace Meng (D-NY),  Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Scott Peters (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD),  Janice Schakowsky (D- IL), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Dina Titus  (D-NV), and Susan Wild (D-PA).

The full text of the letter is provided below. 

"Dear President Biden,

"Since December 12th, Azerbaijan has imposed a blockade of the Lachin  Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) to  Armenia. The effect has been devastating to the population, rendering  120,000 individuals without access to the route that provides much of  Artsakh's food, medical supplies and transport, and other essential  goods, and depriving them of their right to free movement.   Additional reports1 allege that Azerbaijan has also shut off one of  the major sources of natural gas for civilians in the territory,  potentially leaving tens of thousands without heating as temperatures  plummet.

"Azerbaijan is once again weaponizing basic human necessities to  further degrade already strained living conditions for the Armenians  living in Artsakh. If this situation continues, a humanitarian crisis  with potentially tragic consequences is imminent. Further,  Azerbaijan's actions are a direct violation of the trilateral  ceasefire statement of November 9, 20202, which outlines an  obligation to guarantee the secure movement of citizens, vehicles,  and cargo in both directions through this route known as the Lachin  Corridor.

"The people of Artsakh were already in a precarious situation before  December 12th, as they have not yet recovered from the humanitarian  fallout of the September 2020 unprovoked military assault by  Azerbaijan on Artsakh, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of  civilians and soldiers, the ongoing detention of prisoners of war,  and the displacement of tens of thousands of civilians. Since then,  despite Congressional calls for much-needed direct U.S. humanitarian  assistance for the people of Artsakh, the Administration has, to  date, failed to provide adequate aid, which makes decisive action by  the Administration now all the more urgent.

"This is only the most recent example of Azerbaijan's belligerence,  which has followed a well- documented pattern of abuse against the  Armenian population of Artsakh, motivated by the bombastic rhetoric  of the Aliyev regime. We urge the Administration to use all tools at  its disposal to ensure the safety of the people of Artsakh, now and  in the future, including cessation of financial support to Azerbaijan  and imposition of sanctions. We cannot allow Azerbaijan's policy of  aggression and intimidation to continue."