American Senator Bob Menendez on Tuesday, November 18 called for $100 million in humanitarian aid for the Armenian people, and for an immediate end to the waiver of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, the Armenian Assembly of America reports.

Section 907 bans any kind of direct United States aid to the Azerbaijani government. However, on October 24, 2001, the Senate adopted an amendment to the Act that would provide the President with the ability to waiver Section 907. He has done so since then.

In his remarks the Senator also stated that, "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."

“We express our gratitude to and applaud Senator Menendez, for his support of the people of Armenia and Artsakh, and his call for $100 million to help the Armenian people,” said Bryan Ardouny, Executive Director, Armenian Assembly of America.

“Senator Menendez’s call reiterates the Armenian Assembly’s appeal for the United States to reassert its leadership in the region to address the growing humanitarian crisis precipitated by Azerbaijan’s six-week long military assault and resulting ceasefire terms that force thousands of ethnic Armenians out of their homes in Artsakh," Ardouny continued.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said earlier the United States will provide $5 million to support the people affected by the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev have signed a statement to end the war in Karabakh after almost 45 days. Karabakh (Artsakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan has said he has agreed to the deal signed by Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan.