WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is calling for a meeting with President Biden to discuss his next move, expected in the coming weeks, to waive or enforce Section 907 – a long-running statutory restriction date on US aid to Azerbaijan Aliyev regime.
“President Biden owes all Americans – especially those of Armenian descent – a fair hearing and a full explanation of his decision to greenlight US military aid to the blatantly anti-Armenian Aliyev government of Azerbaijan. , in the wake of Baku’s 2020 ethnic cleansing of Artsakh and amid its continued attacks across Armenian territory,” ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian said. “In the interest of accountability and transparency, we seek this meeting – prior to any decision by the President regarding future US assistance to Azerbaijan – to ensure that he personally hears and openly explores the negative security and humanitarian implications of providing even a single dollar of American taxpayers financed aid or arms to the Aliyev regime.
In one letter dated March 14, Hamparian requested an in-person meeting, pointing out that President Biden’s waiver has compounded “the Biden-Harris administration’s failure to condemn Azerbaijan’s aggression or hold its dictatorial regime to a standstill.” Aliyev responsible for documented war crimes, violations of international law and US arms export controls.
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March 14, 2022
The Honorable Joseph Biden
President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear President Biden:
I am writing to request a meeting with you to discuss your pending decision to waive or apply Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, our nation’s longstanding statutory restriction on U.S. aid. to Azerbaijan.
We make this request – in the interest of government transparency – deeply troubled by your decision on April 23, just one day before the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, to waive this law following the ethnic cleansing of Baku. in 2020. Artsakh and amid its ongoing attacks across the Armenian homeland.
Your waiver of Section 907 compounds the Biden-Harris administration’s failure to condemn Azerbaijan’s aggression or hold its dictatorial Aliyev regime accountable for documented war crimes, violations of international law and US arms export controls. The Government Accountability Office’s recently released report on this topic documents these failings in detail.
Oil-rich Azerbaijan certainly does not need and deserve a single dollar of US taxpayer-funded military aid. As citizens deeply invested in this issue, we ask that you meet as soon as possible to discuss our government’s application of Section 907.
Truly,
Raffi Hamparian
President of ANCA
cc: Members of Congress
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential popular Armenian-American organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters across the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a wide range of issues.