Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict discussed at US House of Representatives
Washington, December 10 (AZERTAC). Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Foreign Affairs on Dec. 5 hosted discussions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The meeting featured presentations from Ariel Cohen, Senior Research Fellow for Russian and Eurasian Studies and International Energy Policy, The Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies, Dr. Michael Rubin, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute; Professor Alex Vatanka, Managing Editor, Middle East Institute and Dr. Brenda Shaffer, faculty member in the School of Political Science at the University of Haifa and Visiting Professor at the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy.
Professor Brenda Shaffer in her speech mentioned that one of the main problems of the region is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and occupation of 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan Republic. Ms. Schaeffer said that like North Ossetia and Abkhazia, Nagorno Karabakh region is ruled by the illegitimate administration, out of the field of vision of the United States, and this situation promotes illegal activity in these areas. "Providing financial assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh’s regime is a violation of the law," said Dr. Shaffer.
Ariel Cohen emphasized the importance of strengthening measures to provide assistance to Azerbaijan and Turkey to implement the Trans-Anatolian pipeline project.
Michael Rubin, in turn, noted that Armenia is a weak link in the region.
The conference was attended by congressmen Dan Burton (Indiana), Gregory Meeks (NY), Jean Schmidt (Ohio), Eliot Engel (NY), Dana Rohrabacher (California), Vice-President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Khalik Mammadov, members of the Azerbaijani Parliament Asim Mollazade, SOCAR representative in the U.S. Rauf Mammadov, co-founder of the U.S. Azeris Network Yusif Babanly, Head of The Turquoise Council of American and Eurasians Kemal Oksuz, representatives of the Azerbaijani embassy in USA, members of the Armenian National Committee of the United States.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France and the U.S. - are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
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