Tuesday, March 21 2023 12:31

ArmInfo.Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) is collecting signatures on a U.S. House letter calling out newly appointed U.S point person on Armenian-Azerbaijan issues, Louis Bono, for ruling out U.S. sanctions against Azerbaijan for its 100-day blockade of 120,000 Christian Armenians in their indigenous Artsakh homeland, a targeted legislative initiative strongly supported by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). 

On March 8th of this year - deep into the second month of Azerbaijan's blockade, Bono, on his first official trip to the region as Special U.S. Advisor, stated publicly: "This is not a time for sanctions.   Sanctions would be counter-productive. It's not even under   consideration at this point." ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian  replied within hours, noting that: "Louis Bono, by taking sanctions  on Azerbaijan off the table in his very first public move, signals  American weakness, confirming for Ilham Aliyev that the Biden  Administration won't back its anti-blockade talk with concrete   action." "When our diplomats deliver scripted assurances to  Azerbaijan that the United States will not impose any costs or  consequences for its blockade of Artsakh, they are - quite openly and  intentionally - handing Ilham Aliyev a free pass, signed by Joe  Biden, to continue attacking, occupying, and ethnically cleansing  indigenous Armenian lands," added Hamparian. 

  The Schiff-led Congressional letter states, in part: "We are deeply  concerned by your reported comments during the trip ruling out the  use of economic and diplomatic sanctions against Azerbaijan for their  clear aggression. It was reported that you stated, "this is not a  time for sanctions . it's not even under consideration at this  point."  As 120,000 innocent people remain deprived of their basic  rights in Nagorno- Karabakh (Artsakh) for a third month, due to a  blockade that the International Court of Justice (World Court) has  ordered Azerbaijan to lift, this is not the time to take any tools   off the table." In closing, the signatories affirm that: "The United  States, the President of the United States, the U.S. State  Department, and entire Administration must 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." 

The full text of the Congressional letter is provided here:

https://anca.org/press-release/rep-schiff-leads-congressional-letter-calling-out-biden-appointee-for- reckless-statement-ruling-out-azerbaijan-sanctions/