Congressman David G. Valadao leads Armenian Caucus drive to freeze existing U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan and block any future aid that contributes directly or indirectly to Azerbaijan’s military operations, activities, or capabilities. Valadao sent a
letter to a number of Congressmen on the subject including US State Secretary Anthony Blinken.
“We wish to register our concern with your decision on April 26 to waive the longstanding statutory restriction on U.S. aid to Azerbaijan under Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. This action is particularly distressing following Baku’s hostilities last fall against the Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) and the delayed release of the remaining Armenian prisoners of war and detainees. We believe the issuance of this waiver is a mistake and is not in line with Congressional intent,” the letter reads.
US Congressman Valadao urgently requested that the US State Department suspend any existing military or security assistance to Azerbaijan, including new aid to be provided in the future.
According to the Congressman, the more than $100 million in such aid from U.S. taxpayers provided to Azerbaijan in recent years materially developed Baku’s military and border monitoring capabilities, allowing the Aliyev government to shift resources toward offensive operations against Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) and Armenia.
The oil-rich Aliyev government, which continues to illegally hold Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians six months after the end of hostilities, neither needs nor deserves U.S. assistance.
