Provide Armenia with Equal Military Assistance to Azerbaijan, US Congress Members

Members of the U.S. Congress Jackie Speier, Frank Pallone, and Adam Schiff sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on November 18, expressing concerns about the disproportionate military assistance provided to Armenia and Azerbaijan, reports Voice of America.

Thanking the Secretary for responding to their initial letter and for the staff-level discussions on this issue, the lawmakers emphasized that they remain concerned about the levels of military assistance between the two countries.

In the letter, Congressmen Schiff, Speier, and Pallone disagreed with the Secretary of State’s assertion that the $102 million in military aid to Azerbaijan does not undermine the peaceful resolution process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and will not be used in any military attack against Armenia.

The Congress members noted that Azerbaijan's military capabilities have been steadily increasing in recent years. They emphasized that U.S. military aid would enable Azerbaijan to further enhance its military capabilities and increase the likelihood of an attack against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

“There is no doubt that the increase in security assistance to Azerbaijan creates an imbalance in the region and undermines a twenty-year precedent in U.S. foreign policy,” the lawmakers stated in the letter, underscoring that equitable distribution of military assistance is the only way the U.S. can maintain its credibility as a regional power capable of reconciling Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The Congress members call on the U.S. State Department and the Department of Defense to organize appropriate training and provide equipment for Armenia to enhance its defensive capabilities. This would help secure the borders and create military equilibrium, as mentioned in the letter. They also request a meeting on this issue between U.S. Congress members and relevant officials from the respective ministries.