Skip to main content

Pallone, Knollenberg Urge State Department to Renounce Controversial Azeri U.N. Resolution

November 8, 2004

Washington, D.C. --- U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), cochairmen of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, today called on the United States to renounce and to secure the retraction of an Azeri United Nations resolution that urges the removal of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, the lawmakers expressed concern that the resolution would undermine peace talks in the region.

"Azerbaijan's proposal represents a hostile declaration against the entire peace process, aimed only at fostering increased divisiveness," Pallone and Knollenberg wrote in their letter to Secretary Powell. "Its consideration can only set back the cause of peace.

"Efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict are in the best interests of the U.S. and the South Caucasus region," the lawmakers continued. "We urge that the United States forcefully renounce this proposal, secure its retraction, and impress upon the Azerbaijani government that it should drop such counter-productive tactics in favor of a serious and lasting commitment to the OSCE Minsk Group process."

Last month, when the resolution came up for a vote in the U.N. General Committee, the U.S. abstained, refusing to take a stand against this harmful resolution. In the letter, Pallone and Knollenberg urged opposition to the resolution when it comes before the U.N. General Assembly.

"We value the vital role the United States plays as an honest broker in the Nagorno Karabakh peace process," Pallone and Knollenberg wrote. "In this capacity, given our commitment to keep the parties talking and moving forward, it is necessary for the United States to act forcefully against destabilizing steps that will unravel the peace process."

Text of the letter to Secretary Powell follows.

November 7, 2004

The Honorable Colin Powell

Secretary of State

Department of State

2201 C Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20520-0001

Dear Mr. Secretary:

We are writing to share with you our alarm over the prospect that Azerbaijan's continued efforts at the United Nations to manipulate the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will, if unchecked, undermine our clearly articulated national interest in the stability of the Caucasus.

We refer, of course, to Azerbaijan's recent introduction of an ill-advised resolution on the "situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan." This intentionally disruptive resolution threatens the principles and procedures of the Organiza tion for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as well as the Minsk group mediation effort, co-chaired by the United States, France and Russia, to resolve the Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijan's proposal represents a hostile declaration against the entire peace process, aimed only at fostering increased divisiveness. Its consideration can only set back the cause of peace.

We are deeply concerned that the OSCE Minsk process cannot survive Azerbaijan's destabilizing tactics. Continued tampering with this process will inevitably produce a chain reaction resulting in its demise. We cannot afford to allow Azerbaijan to continue to disrupt the work of the OSCE, which, as you know, has been recognized by the UN itself as the lead arbiter in this conflict.

We value the vital role the United States plays as an honest broker in the Nagorno Karabakh peace process. In this capacity, given our commitment to keep the parties talking and moving forward, it is necessary for the United States to act forcefully against destabilizing steps that will unravel the peace process. Our interests are best served by the continuation of dialogue on the outstanding issues related to Nagorno Karabakh within the OSCE framework, not by the fragmentation of this orderly process.

Efforts to reinforce stability and reduce the risk of conflict are in the best interests of the U.S. and the South Caucasus region. To this end, we urge that the United States forcefully renounce this proposal, secure its retraction, and impress upon the Azerbaijani government that it should drop such counter-productive tactics in favor of a serious and lasting commitment to the OSCE Minsk Group process.

Thank you for your consideration of our views. We stand ready, of course, to assist you in addressing this matter in the interest of the American people.

Sincerely,

Joe Knollenberg Frank Pallone, Jr.

Member of Congress Member of Congress