What US Congress Members Demand in Resolution Against Azerbaijan

One week after the visit of a congressional delegation led by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to Armenia, Jackie Speier, co-chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus and member of the delegation, has introduced a legislative initiative condemning Azerbaijani war crimes both in Armenia and Artsakh. The resolution calls for the implementation of sanctions and the referral to international tribunals for relevant investigations. This was reported by the Central Office of the Armenian National Committee of America.

Speier publicly announced her intention for the first time last week during a session of the Armenian National Committee of America’s federal seminar, during a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh, David Babayan, and the Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Sport, and Culture of Artsakh, Lernik Hovhannisyan.

In addition to calling for sanctions against war crimes, the resolution urges an investigation into the unlawful detention of Armenian prisoners of war by Azerbaijan, condemns the destruction of Armenian churches and historical monuments, and expresses solidarity with the territorial integrity of the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh. Congresswoman Speier is joined by co-chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus Frank Pallone, Vice Chair Adam Schiff, and Congresswoman Anna Eshoo.

Commenting on Speier’s initiative, Aram Hamparian, President of the Armenian National Committee of America, stated: “We welcome Congresswoman Speier’s introduction of the war crimes resolution, which is parallel to Congressman Schiff’s resolution condemning Azerbaijan’s attacks. Both are expressions of the powerful bipartisan support in Congress for the implementation of the Section 907 restriction on military aid to Azerbaijan.”

As noted earlier, Speier’s initiative follows another resolution, 1351, introduced by Adam Schiff and leaders of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, calling for an immediate halt to U.S. aid to Azerbaijan and condemning Azerbaijan’s aggression against Armenia and Artsakh. The draft resolution currently has 44 congressional signatures.

Throughout this process, the Armenian National Committee of America is mobilizing the Armenian American community and conducting necessary lobbying activities, utilizing the capabilities of the committee’s website.