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Washington, D.C. --- Earlier this week U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ),co- chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, gave the following statement on the floor of the United States House of Representatives about the incorrect representation of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh in the U.S. Department of State's 2006 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
"Madam Speaker, each year the Department of State issues a report outlining the human rights practices of various nations. I object to the inaccuracies in the Armenia section of the 2006 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
"Originally, the Department issued erroneous language about Armenia being an occupier of Azerbaijani territory and Nagorno Karabagh. The report was subsequently revised with more balanced, although still not fully accurate, wording and then revised again to restore the original inaccurate language.
"I am deeply disturbed by the State Department's mischaracterization of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict. It is unprecedented and counter-productive to our government's goal of actively promoting constructive engagement in the peace negotiations of the region. It is also sets a troubling example by allowing a foreign state, in this case Azerbaijan, to shape the assessments of our human rights report.
"To assert that Nagorno Karabagh is Azerbaijani territory or that Armenia occupies Nagorno Karabagh and other territories is simply wrong. This version ignores the reality that the current conflict is about the self-determination of the people of Nagorno Karabagh.
"Like many others ethnic autonomous regions with the status of Oblast under the Soviet Constitution, the people of Nagorno Karabagh declared their independence. They then conducted a referendum as set forth in the same Constitution. They are now an independent republic, and should be recognized as a nation just like Azerbaijan, Armenian and any other former Soviet Republic. The situation has absolutely nothing to do with Armenia. The only role Armenia plays in this conflict is that country's part in peace negotiations.
"I am concerned that Armenia is being characterized as an abuser of human rights in the region when it is Azerbaijan who continues to maintain a blockade of both Nagorno Karabagh and Armenia, and regularly threatens a new wave of violence against Nagorno-Karabakh.
"Such misrepresentations will undermine our nation's credibility as an impartial mediator and jeopardize prospects for successful negotiations. It could also have a negative impact on US-Armenia relations.
"Our common aim should be to focus on workable diplomacy that brings parties together in the spirit of conflict resolution, not to cause additional tension by introducing new and controversial elements into an already complex negotiating process.
"Madam Speaker, the United States has a long history of supporting Nagorno-Karabakh’s democracy and its right to live in freedom and peace. The State Department has never made assertions in previous reports about Armenia being an occupier of Azerbaijani territory and Nagorno Karabagh.
"Last week, I sent a letter to Secretary Rice with my concerns over the report's language. I urge her to quickly reverse the State Department's mischaracterization." |
