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Losing the moral compass over Nagorno-Karabakh

The influential American edition The Washington Times urged Washington to stop financial support for the Nagorno-Karabakh -occupied territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia.

Kanal24 informs, says article Losing the moral compass over Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to author, American foreign aid, it is often the message - rather than the dollar figure - that matters. A textbook case is Nagorno-Karabakh, the internationally recognized Azerbaijani territory, illegally occupied by Armenia.

The author says that Armenia suffered a severe blow in May when President Trump’s proposed budget for fiscal 2018 cut assistance to Armenia by nearly 70 percent. Yet, concurrently, the proposed budget slashed aid to Azerbaijan by 90 percent. However, through its cuts in Eurasia, the administration loses its moral compass by penalizing Azerbaijan, the victim of a territorial occupation in Nagorno-Karabakh, more than the actual occupier, Armenia.

Also, the author says that indeed, $1.5 million is a relatively “modest” sum within the grand scheme of U.S. foreign aid. But what message is America sending the world through its financial backing for Nagorno-Karabakh?

"America funds an occupied, unrecognized territory. The Armenian occupation violates U.N. Security Council Resolutions 853, 874 and 884, as well as U.N. General Assembly Resolutions 19/13 and 57/298, which all describe Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory. The State Department states that the U.S. “does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent country, and its leadership is not recognized internationally or by the United States. The United States supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and holds that the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh is a matter of negotiation between the parties”, the article reads.

"However, true support for the “territorial integrity of Azerbaijan” should entail firm opposition of the Armenian occupation — in the form of defunding Nagorno-Karabakh".

The author states that it also benefits from important symbolic gestures by American lawmakers such as the recent, unacceptable visit. By making a diplomatic trip to Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani territory, these legislators are saying that Azerbaijan’s sovereignty means nothing, not to mention violating stated U.S. foreign policy. If Nagorno-Karabakh continues to receive American financial support, members of Congress will continue to feel entitled to go rogue and visit an unrecognized territory.

The author says America funds a Russian vassal state. Armenia is Russia’s vassal — its secret ingredient to expanding global power, at the expense of American power. Why, then, should the U.S. embolden Armenia through funding the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh?

When it comes to foreign aid for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, America needs a new plan — a policy that is both fiscally and morally sensible.

"Further, the U.S. should send the Russians a strong message by rejecting the illegal actions of their vassal, Armenia. Defunding Nagorno-Karabakh might not make a substantial difference in the total price tag of U.S. foreign aid. But the message would have significant reverberations for this country’s standing in the world - that when it comes to American spending, practicality and morality still matter".


20:22 22.11.2017