We Must Support the Armenian People: Azerbaijan and Turkey Consider Potential 'Zangezur Corridor', Says Ben Cardin

The newly appointed Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ben Cardin, has made a statement emphasizing the need to support Armenia and reevaluate military assistance and security cooperation with Azerbaijan. He stated, "After nearly a year of horrific blockade, President Aliyev has finally resorted to military force to exert control over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, effectively erasing the local Armenian population and its rich history. As the world continues to confront Azerbaijan's systematic and deliberate campaign of ethnic cleansing, we must prioritize assistance to displaced Armenians and hold Azerbaijan accountable... The United States should cease the security assistance provided to Azerbaijan until it stops this brutal campaign. The United States and the international community should also reaffirm our commitment to documenting war crimes and atrocities, as well as continue to support efforts to repatriate prisoners of war, many of whom Azerbaijan continues to hold captive. Finally, we must show solidarity with the Armenian people, especially as Azerbaijan and Turkey consider the potential 'Zangezur Corridor.' We need to increase humanitarian assistance to the ethnic Armenians who have left Nagorno-Karabakh. The United States must also continue to support the democratic reforms undertaken by the Armenian leadership in recent years," stated the new chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.