AZERI PARLIAMENT CONDEMNS US DECISION TO ALLOCATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH REGIME

Baku, December 16 (AzerTAc). Azerbaijan`s Parliament has issued a statement condemning the US Congress` decision to allocate in 2010 a financial assistance to separatist Nagorno-Karabakh regime.
The statement says: “The decision of the Congress of the United States of America to allocate $8 million in a financial aid in 2010 to the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Azerbaijan Republic has been a source of deep concern for us. The move contradicts the spirit of strategic partnership between the United States of America and the Republic of Azerbaijan, and can be perceived as support for separatism of the Armenian armed forces in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.”
“In the early 90s neighboring Armenia waged a war of aggression against Azerbaijan to conduct a policy of ethnic cleansing, which led to occupation of 20% of Azerbaijan`s territories – the Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions Lachin, Kalbajar, Aghdam, Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Gubadly and Zangilan. Over a million Azerbaijanis have been left homeless as a result of the occupation.”
“In 1994, a mechanism – OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the USA, Russia and France -
– was launched to find a peaceful solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. A number of international organizations, in particular UN, the OSCE and the Council of Europe, adopted resolutions condemning Armenia`s policy of aggression and ethnic cleansing and demanding unconditional liberation of Azerbaijan`s occupied lands.”
“Unfortunately, the resolutions by the leading international organizations with respect to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict have not yet been fulfilled, while the Minsk Group failed to justify all hopes.”
“Armenia`s non-constructive stance on the peace talks, its refusal to recognize Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity, Armenia`s creating military bases on its territory and the country`s frequent violation of the ceasefire with Azerbaijan are the factors increasing the danger of the war to be sparked again.”
“Today such an idea has taken roots in the Azerbaijani society that it is the world powers` double-standard approach and Armenia`s remaining unpunished that sets obstacles to finding a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”
“This is why we are distressed with the US Congress` decision to give the financial assistance to the separatist regime. And we regard this not a humanitarian, but a moral support to separatism and the aggressors who occupied Azerbaijani lands. If one insists that it is the humanitarian aid then it raises a question: If the United States of America recognizes Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity, then the financial assistance allocated to the Nagorno-Karabakh, an integral part of Azerbaijan, would have to be part of the funding given to Azerbaijan.”
“Anyhow, the move will make the Armenian leaders feel themselves more confident, and they will continue their stalling tactics, creating new obstacles to the peace talks.”
“Another question arousing concern is that the issue of allocating a financial assistance to the Nagorno-Karabakh was not included in the 2010 draft Budget submitted by the Obama Administration. It was not even included in the bill passed by the House of Representatives. The issue was included in the final version of the draft law by the Armenian lobby sitting in the US House of Representatives. And it means that the Armenian lobby is capable of making the US Congress adopt decisions contradicting the country`s national interests.”
“We do hope that US President Barack Obama, who recently won the Nobel Peace Prize, will use his veto power to repeal the article of the 2010 Budget law that stipulates direct allocation of funds to the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which can impede efforts to establish peace and stability in the South Caucasus.”