Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Armenia
On 18 September, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia, a few days after a large-scale Armenian military provocation on the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia that resulted in the death of more than 200 soldiers from both sides.
She is the highest-ranking official of the US who visited Armenia since its independence in 1991.
Nancy Pelosi stated that her visit should be perceived as an “effort to support human rights and the dignity of all people”.
However, her statements before the visit show that the main aim was to show her support for Armenia.
In this regard, it should be highlighted that Nancy Pelosi is known as a pro-Armenian politician, and the presence of pro-Armenian members of the US Congress in her delegation should be understood as a political step in order to get a support of the Armenian Diaspora of the US prior to the midterm elections that will be held in two months in the US.
During her visit, Nancy Pelosi accused Azerbaijan because of the recent clash on the borders of Azerbaijan and Armenia.
However, her statement regarding the issue is groundless and unfair and does not match with the principle of justice.
It should be stated that since the Trilateral Statement of November 10, 2020, Azerbaijan has expressed its interest in every occasion for the establishment of durable peace between the two states.
However, Armenia sabotaged the peace negotiations at every step, and the last clash between the two states was the result of the provocative Armenian policy regarding the issue which is not eager to come to a conclusion for signing a peace treaty with Azerbaijan.
That is why all responsibility for the recent clash lies with the military-political leadership of Armenia, and as a defending side, Azerbaijan has a right to self-defence in accordance with international law that enshrined in article 51 of the UN Charter to protect its state borders and sovereignty over its internationally recognized territories.
Against this background, it could be conclude that that the visit of Nancy Pelosi to Yerevan and showing support to Armenia while accusing Azerbaijan is nothing but a desperate attempt to enlist the support of the Armenian lobby on the eve of the midterm elections.
However, she should remember that Azerbaijan was an ally of the US in its ‘war against terrorism’ and Azerbaijani Army Units participated in the peacekeeping operations of NATO in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq.
In fact the US was a mediator-state within the sunk into oblivion OSCE Minsk Group, aimed to resolve the former Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through the political dialogue.
There is no doubt that this kind of statement by the representative of the US government undermines its role in the further process of the post-conflict agenda.
Hence, the representative of the US government should think twice while supporting Armenia, the main ally and historical vassal of Russia in the South Caucasus, and proclaiming any accusations against Azerbaijan, the strategic ally of the US in such crucial areas as anti-terrorist coalition and energy security.
Finally, a reasonable question arises about where Nancy Pelosi, “justice and human rights herald” has been for almost three decades, while Armenia occupied internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, committed war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity against Azerbaijanis in rude and egregious violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law?
—The writer is a former Member of Parliament, Researcher and Analyst on International Relations and Political Economy, Director of TLM – Initiatives and Projects Centre in Azerbaijan.
