Baku: The Milli Majlis has issued a statement regarding a bill discussed by the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the US House of Representatives, the Press and Public Relations Department of the Milli Majlis told APA.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the parliament expressed its strong protest over Bill H.R. 9087, which was discussed by the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the US House of Representatives on July 22. The Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan strenuously rejects the amendments and unfounded accusations levelled against their country during the discussion. The bill is seen as a glaring example of flagrant disregard for the norms and principles of international law, constituting yet another attempt to use the United States Congress as a means of political pressure against Azerbaijan in the interests of the Armenian lobby.
Congressman Brad Sharman, the author of the amendment, is identified as a person connected to Armenian lobbyist groups and consistently seeking to implement their political agenda. The Milli Majlis asserts that such initiatives, appearing on the eve of upcoming US congressional elections, are not aimed at safeguarding the national interests of the United States but rather at securing political and financial support from influential lobbying circles. The objectivity of the decisions being taken is questioned, and it is suggested that law enforcement agencies in the United States should investigate and give an appropriate legal assessment.
The initiative is part of a long-standing discreditation campaign by the Armenian lobby against Azerbaijan, with similar efforts noted in the work of a number of European parliamentary entities, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Individual members, such as Frank Schwabe, are highlighted for putting forward biased initiatives against Azerbaijan as part of a concerted campaign by the Armenian lobby on various international platforms.
The Milli Majlis emphasizes the timing of such steps, which come amidst efforts to promote an Azerbaijan-Armenia peace agenda. International endeavors, particularly the mediation initiative and support of US President Donald Trump, have created tangible opportunities for normalizing relations between the two states. Attempts by individual Congressmen to secure politically motivated decisions undermine trust and hinder the peace process.
The statement highlights that such acts serve only the interests of radical chauvinist circles within the Armenian Lobby, which have long obstructed the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. The use of terms like ‘POW’ and ‘political convicts’ in the amendment is especially objectionable, as the individuals referenced were prosecuted for various crimes under Azerbaijani and international law. Presenting them as victims of political persecution distorts facts and interferes with the administration of justice by an independent state.
The Milli Majlis calls upon US Congressmen to abstain from decisions influenced by organized Armenian lobby groups, to respect international law and Azerbaijan’s sovereignty, and to avoid becoming a tool for forces interested in derailing the peace process and preserving confrontation in the South Caucasus.