Congressman Pallone Condemned Anti-Armenian Policy Pursued by Azerbaijan and TurkeyMarch 1, 2006 - 18:02 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - In a powerful U.S. House floor speech marking the 18th anniversary of the Azerbaijani massacre of Armenians in Sumgait, Azerbaijan, Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) on Tuesday called on the U.S. government to "flex its geo-political muscle in order to send a message that ethnically charged genocides, illegal blockades of sovereign nations, and the constant harassment of the Armenian people will not be tolerated," reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). "We want to thank Congressman Pallone for reminding his colleagues about the Sumgait massacre and explaining how this atrocity sparked the cycle of Azerbaijani and Turkish aggression against Armenians that continues to this day," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. Congressman Pallone said he wanted to draw the attention of his Congressional colleagues to "the continued Turkish and Azeri aggression against the Armenian people." Commenting on a series of demonstration organized in Washington, DC and throughout the world by the ANCA and its affiliates, Representative Pallone noted that, "today many Armenians marked the anniversary of the Sumgait Massacre by organizing a march here in Washington from the Embassy of Turkey to the Embassy of Azerbaijan in order highlight the continued Turkish and Azeri aggression toward the Armenian people." The New Jersey Congressman also addressed Azerbaijan's "organized effort to destroy historically sacred Armenian sites," specifically mentioning the "documented video evidencing the systematic destruction of a more than 1000 year-old cemetery and historic carved stone crosses in the southern Nakhichevan region of Djulfa." Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |