Sen. Bob Menendez demands U.S. sanctions on Turkey, Azerbaijan
WASHINGTON - New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez demands U.S. sanctions on Turkey and Azerbaijan for aggression against Armenia and Artsakh.
Senator Menendez is the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is demanding the United States sanction Turkey and Azerbaijan immediately.
"The security of the Armenian people, who have already suffered brutal violence at the hands of Presidents Aliyev and Erdogan, now rests with ‘peacekeepers’ sent by Vladimir Putin – a flawed agreement that does nothing about the jihadis sent there by Turkey, who if allowed to remain, could commit further atrocities against Christian Armenians," he said.
"We now have a trio of authoritarians running the show in the south Caucasus. It should alarm anyone dedicated to a peaceful solution of this longstanding conflict. It should alarm anyone dedicated to democratic reform in the region. And it should alarm anyone concerned about basic human rights and respect for international law," Senator Menendez added.
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Senator Menendez is also calling for $100 million in U.S. aid to prevent a humanitarian disaster in Armenia and Artsakh and he is calling for an end to the U.S. selling arms to Turkey and Azerbaijan. From 2018-2019 the United States gave more than $100 million in security aid to Azerbaijan.
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In addition, he is urging re-engagement in the OSCE Minsk Group negotiation process.
Watch his full remarks below:
This story was reported from Los Angeles.