Leading US Senators Call for Sanctions on Azerbaijan

Leading US Senators called on the US Administration to impose sanctions on Azerbaijan after its assault against Nagorno Karabakh.

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemning Azerbaijan’s assault against Nagorno-Karabakh and urging the cut off of U.S. assistance to the Aliyev regime.

Azerbaijan has sent troops backed by artillery attacks into Armenian-controlled Nagorno-Karabakh, warning that its operation would not stop until Armenian forces surrender.

The attacks on Tuesday raised the threat of a new war in the ethnic Armenian region of Azerbaijan, which has been a flashpoint since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

According to a press release by the Department of State, Blinken spoke with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev today to urge Azerbaijan to cease military actions in Nagorno-Karabakh immediately and de-escalate the situation.

The Secretary emphasized that there is no military solution and that the parties must resume dialogue to resolve outstanding differences between Baku and ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, the statement reads.

It adds that the Secretary noted President Aliyev’s expressed readiness to halt military actions and for representatives of Azerbaijan and the population of Nagorno-Karabakh to meet, and he underscored the need for immediate implementation.

Senators urge halt in US assistance to Azerbaijan

The Senators urged the Biden Administration to “immediately condemn the actions of the Government of Azerbaijan in Nagorno Karabakh and announce that the United States will not extend of its waiver of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act.”

In their letter, the Senators pointed out that, “Azerbaijan has denied the people of Nagorno Karabakh have freedom of movement and access to essential goods, food, and medicine. With the Aliyev regime’s resumption of military operations, it now appears that Azerbaijan is intent on removing ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh from the region by any means necessary.”

The Senators are calling on the State Department to fully implement and not waive requirements under Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act and halt future U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan, writing: “Given renewed Azeri aggression and the blockade of the Lachin Corridor, we no longer believe an extension of the waiver of Section 907 can be justified, and we urge you to declare this publicly.

“We also urge you to strongly condemn Azerbaijan’s military actions and work to ensure humanitarian aid is able to enter the region.”

The full text of the letter follows below.

Dear Secretary Blinken:

We urge you to immediately condemn the actions of the Government of Azerbaijan in Nagorno Karabakh and announce that United States will not extend of its waiver of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act.

On September 19, the Government of Azerbaijan resumed hostilities against Nagorno Karabakh, with reports of attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. This comes after nine months of blockading the Lachin Corridor, isolating the ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. During this time, Azerbaijan has denied the people of Nagorno Karabakh freedom of movement and access to essential goods, food, and medicine. With the Aliyev regime’s resumption of military operations, it now appears that Azerbaijan is intent on removing ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh from the region by any means necessary.

As you know, Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act of 1992 prohibits United States assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan until the President determines and notifies Congress that “the Government of Azerbaijan is taking demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.” In 2002, in the wake of the terrorist attacks on 9/11 and the invasion of Afghanistan, Congress gave the President the authority to waive Section 907 and issue annual extensions for the provision of assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan if the President determines and certifies that certain criteria are met.

For years, this extension has been granted by Presidents of both parties in support of United States national security and foreign policy priorities and pursuant to federal law. Given renewed Azeri aggression and the blockade of the Lachin Corridor, we no longer believe an extension of the waiver of Section 907 can be justified, and we urge you to declare this publicly.

We also urge you to strongly condemn Azerbaijan’s military actions and work to ensure humanitarian aid is able to enter the region. Thank you for your attention to this request and we look forward to your prompt reply.