September 16, 2022

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi

Speaker of the House

U.S. House of Representatives

U.S. Capitol, Room H-305

Washington, D.C. 20515

RE: Your Trip to the Republic of Armenia and Steps Going Forward

Dear Speaker Pelosi,

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR) welcomes your visit to the Republic of Armenia to witness firsthand the crimes of the Azerbaijani government during its recent aggression and invasion of Armenia.

Azerbaijan’s full-scale attack on sovereign Armenian lands caused extensive damage to civilians and civilian infrastructure in the border communities of the Syunik, Vayots Dzor, and Gegharkunik provinces. According to official reports, at least 135 Armenians have been killed and more than 7,500 civilians have been internally displaced, including women, children, elderly, and disabled persons as a result of Azerbaijan’s aggression since September 13, 2022.

Furthermore, Azerbaijan’s extensive targeting of civilian infrastructure resulted in heavy damage to more than 200 residential structures–upwards of 50 of which are completely destroyed, as well as school buildings, government administration buildings, a medical center, and a gas supply pipeline. Azerbaijan’s targeted shelling of roads now prevents civilians’ right to freedom of movement, with numerous reports that they have opened fire on emergency first responders attempting to provide life-saving assistance to civilians in the affected communities. Azerbaijan has also opened fire in the direction of journalists from both foreign and Armenian media outlets, despite the clear display of “press” emblems.

While a fragile ceasefire has been implemented between Armenia and Azerbaijan, civilians in these communities have already suffered for more than a year at the hands of Azerbaijani encroachment into sovereign Armenian territory. Although the ANCA-WR welcomes the United States government’s ongoing calls for lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is paramount to recognize that lasting peace is interlinked with justice, accountability, and mutual trust between the two sides, and as such we call upon you Madam Speaker to:

• Condemn Azerbaijan for its September 13, 2022, unprovoked military attack on Armenia and its ongoing violation of Armenia’s territorial integrity and state sovereignty (since May 2021);
• Facilitate an investigation into Azerbaijan’s violations of the Geneva Conventions during its offensive on Armenia, including the systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure and post-mortem mutilation of the corpses of Armenian combatants, and pressure the Azerbaijani government to return Armenian POWs, hostages and other detained persons, and dead bodies;
• Urge the Biden Administration to work with OSCE Minsk Group counterparts (France and Russia) to pass a UN Security Council Resolution ordering the withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Armenian territories occupied since May 12, 2021 and the placement of OSCE-monitored advanced gunfire locator systems, sound-ranging equipment, and other relevant technology to determine the source of attacks along the internationally recognized border of Armenia-Azerbaijan to put an end once and for all to Azerbaijan’s false claims of Armenian provocation;
• Support and ensure the passage of H. Res. 1351 introduced by Representatives Adam Schiff and Jackie Speier;
• Secure support to U.S. and international humanitarian assistance programs to allocate emergency funds to repair infrastructure destroyed by Azerbaijani attacks, and support victims of Azerbaijani ongoing aggression, including internally displaced persons in Armenia and refugees from Nagorno Karabakh; and
• Urge President Biden to immediately enforce Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act by halting all military assistance to oil-rich Azerbaijan and for the Administration to make clear to the Aliyev regime that further attacks on Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh will result in sanctions or other measures, especially in light of recent unconfirmed reports that Azerbaijan is planning a new offensive from Nakhichevan across Armenia’s western border.

The humanitarian cost of this unbridled aggression is devastating, and the pain of residents who have lost loved ones, and were forced to abandon their homes, their livestock, and their livelihoods under the intensive shelling is immeasurable. We are grateful for your delegation visit to Armenia in order to collect facts-on-the-ground and assist in bringing the settlement of this conflict off of the battlefield and onto the table of diplomacy, but it is our most fervent request that concrete action be taken by the United States to ensure an end to Azerbaijan’s unlawful invasion of the sovereign Republic of Armenia and existential threat to the Armenian people.

Sincerely,

Nora Hovsepian, Esq.

Chair

Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region

CC: The Honorable Jackie Speier

U.S. House of Representatives

2465 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

CC: The Honorable Anna Eshoo

U.S. House of Representatives

202 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20515