AZERBAIJAN CANNOT PURCHASE U.S. MILITARY HARDWARE

In response to Congressional concerns first raised by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Democrat Howard Berman (D-CA), the State Department has removed Azerbaijan from a list of countries eligible to purchase U.S. military hardware which could be used by the Aliyev regime in its ongoing attacks against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA.)
"This decision by Secretary Clinton is in the best interests of the Armenian people and for peace in the region," said Rep. Berman, upon receiving the modified formal notification from the State Department late on June 27th.
"We would like to thank Rep. Berman for taking immediate action to block this proposed arms sale, particularly given the Aliyev regime's recent attacks against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh that coincided with Secretary Clinton's visit to the Caucasus," stated ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian. "Military equipment sales to Azerbaijan only serve to arm and embolden a belligerent Azerbaijani government, whose threats and acts of aggression undermine the Karabakh peace process and stability in the region overall."
In a May 29th letter to Secretary Clinton, Rep. Berman referenced announcements of a sale of military hardware which would be used in conjunction with Azerbaijan's military helicopter fleet for "border surveillance and 'police-type' activities." In addition to possible attacks against Armenia, Rep. Berman expressed concern about the "message that such a sale would send to the regional parties, both in terms of perceived U.S. even-handedness and in terms of our seriousness about persuading Baku to cease its bellicose rhetoric and agree to Minsk Group co-chair demands that it remove its snipers from the 'line of contact' in the Nagorno-Karabakh region."
The ANCA expressed its opposition to the sale as part of a seven-point memo sent to Congressional offices and the White House immediately after the June 4 - 6 Azerbaijani attacks against Armenia and Karabakh that left some 10 soldiers dead. "The Obama Administration should suspend all military aid to Azerbaijan, and stop the sale or transfer to Baku of any military equipment or dual-use items (including the proposed sale of advanced helicopter-based surveillance equipment - DDTC 12-002)," explained Nahapetian in the memo.
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) subsequently raised concerns about this proposed military hardware sale during Senate Foreign Relations Committee consideration of the nomination of Richard Morningstar for U.S. Ambassador Azerbaijan.
In his questions to Morningstar, Sen. Menendez called specific attention to recent cross-border attacks by Azerbaijan against Armenia, threats by President Aliyev that "Armenians will live in fear," and the assertion that "Our [Azerbaijan's] main enemies are Armenians of the world." Menendez continued, asking "do you think, based upon those types of statements, that the proposed sales of military hardware to be used in conjunction with Azerbaijan's military helicopter fleet is really in the national interest of the United States?"
Morningstar argued, in part, that "There are increasing tensions with respect to other neighbors, in particular with Iran. And we have to provide, I think, security assistance, possibly military assistance in ways that cannot be used to exacerbate any situation with respect to Armenia or Nagorno Karabakh." Menendez was quick to respond, reminding Morningstar that "I didn't hear President Aliyev say 'My main enemy or security concern is Iran,' he said that, 'Our main enemies are the Armenians of the world.' [. . .] I have a real problem with going ahead and selling military hardware to the Azerbaijanis based upon what has happened."

<< | Home | >>

Translate

RSS © A1+

Headlines for June 29, 2012

ARTSAKH PRESIDENT RECEIVES ARMENIAN FM
On June 29, President of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Republic Bako Sahakyan received Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan. The two men discussed issues related to foreign policies of the two ...
POST-SCRIPTUM TO HOST ARMENIAN OMBUDSMAN
The program "Post-Scriptum" hosts on Friday Armenia's Human Rights Defender (or Ombudsman) Karen Andreasyan. You can send your questions to ps@a1plus.am or call at 58 54 27. "Post-Scriptum" will be ...
PACE KEEPS MARCH 1 CLASHES IN THE LIMELIGHT
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) expresses its concern with regard to the fact that, until now, no responsibility has been established concerning 10 casualties that occurred ...
AZERBAIJAN CANNOT PURCHASE U.S. MILITARY HARDWARE
In response to Congressional concerns first raised by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Democrat Howard Berman (D-CA), the State Department has removed Azerbaijan from a list of countries eligible ...
D. HARUTYUN DOES NOT RULE OUT DISCLOSURE OF MARCH 1 CLASHES
The resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on June 29, 2012, redresses PACE Resolution 1837 adopted last autumn which says 'the chapter on the March 2008 events ...
ALEXANDER ARZUMANYAN DECLINES TO SAY BHK
The criminal case against [Armenia's former foreign minister] Vartan Oskanian is politically motivated, says Alexander Arzumanyan, a member of the Free Democrats Party. He says the political context behind ...
EPP CHAIRMAN RECEIVES SERZH SARGSYAN
Serzh Sargsyan met on June 28 with Martens, Chairman of the European People's Party (EPP) Wilfried. The two men discussed the expansion of cooperation between the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) and ...
NO SOLUTION IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT KARABAKH'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE TALKS
The Karabakh conflict cannot be solved without Karabakh's involvement in the talks, Armenia's Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said during an interview with Armenpress news agency. The Armenian FM reminded ...
IRANIAN AMBASSADOR HANDS CREDENTIALS TO SERZH SARGSYAN
The newly appointed Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Armenia, Mohammad Reisi presented his credentials to Serzh Sargsyan. The Armenian leader congratulated Ambassador Reisi on starting his ...
MAN HOSPITALIZED AFTER SNAKE BITE
A resident of Armenia's Nor Amanos village was rushed to hospital on Friday morning after being bitten by a snake. Doctors say the condition of Taron Tovmasyan, 59, is satisfactory. On Thursday evening, ...
EXAMINATION TURMOIL: PARENTS SAY NEW CONSPIRACY IS HATCHED
Parents of university applicants in Armenia have serious concerns that the Ministry of Education is planning a big conspiracy against applicants who are taking joint entrance examinations. Talking to ...
FLOODS DISPLACE ABOUT ONE MILLION PEOPLE IN INDIA
Almost one million people have been forced to leave their homes by floods in India as torrential rains lash the north-eastern state of Assam, officials say. At least 27 people have died in flood-related ...
MAN STABBED TO DEATH IN BRAWL IN ARMENIA'S IJEVAN CITY
A murder took place in Armenia's Ijevan city on Thursday, June 28. According to the police, at around 10:30 p.m. Hunan T., 31, Hayk Gh., 29, Ashot K., 39, Marat Kh., 33, and Kh. Hovhannisyan, 30, attended ...
STRAUSS-KAHN'S WIFE Â€KICKS' HIM OUT OF THEIR PARIS HOME
Former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who is facing a probe into his alleged involvement with a prostitution ring in France, and his wife have separated, Reuters reports. Anne ...
SUREN ZOLYAN IS CONFIDENT OF HIS VICTORY
Suren Zolyan, former rector of Yerevan State Linguistic University (YSLU), views his dismissal as reckoning. "This is real vengeance as they deprived a person of his right to express an opinion. Everyone ...
ALEXANDER ARZUMANYAN SCOFFS AT HAK
The opposition is obliged to name a joint candidate for the 2013 presidential elections, Alexander Arzumanyan, a member of the Free Democrats Party. He says the opposition filed is fragmented and separatist ...
HERITAGE REP. HOPES FOR OPPOSITION TO SUPPORT RAFFI HOVANNISIAN
The opposition forces in Armenia will unite over one candidate during the 2013 presidential elections and that candidate will be [Heritage party leader] Raffi Hovannisian, says Armen Martirosyan, deputy ...
MINISTER OHANYAN: "WE HAVE ALREADY TRIUMPHED IN SIMILAR SITUATION"
Armenia's Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan today reflected on the continuing ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan. "Azerbaijan's recent subversive acts aim to escalate the situation and pressurize international ...
PROBATION TO BE INTRODUCED IN ARMENIA
Arthur Baghdasaryan, Secretary of Armenia's National Security Council (NSC), attended on Friday a seminar discussion organized by the RA Justice Ministry and the EU Advisory Group to Armenia. The seminar ...
ARMENIAN MOUNTAINEERS TO CLIMB MT. ELBRUS
A team of Armenian mountaineers will attempt to climb Mt. Elbrus, the tallest summit in Europe at 5,642 meters.The group includes Garegin Unusyan, Levon Movsesyan and Suren Petrosyan. Levon Movsesyan ...
MAN BEATEN IN HARSNAKAR BRAWL DIES IN HOSPITAL
Major Vahe Avetyan, head of ENT Department of the Yerevan Garrison Hospital, has died in a Yerevan hospital after being severely beaten at Yerevan's Harsnakar Restaurant on June 17. Avetyan, 35, died ...