Open Letter to the President of the United States of America

Barack Obama

 

Dear Mr. President,

We, the 50 million Azerbaijani people living in the world, would like to express our displeasure with regards to the U.S. Congress’s decision to send financial aid to the separatists in occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, and request that you put a stop to this unjust situation.
Azerbaijan and the United States are economic, political as well as military allies. If this step is put in action, not only will the ties of our governments be severely damaged and collapse, but so will the ties between our nations.

A large community of Azerbaijani people abide in Scandinavian countries around the world and we as a nation have always shown our support to U.S. policies. We would like to voice our opinion on the decision made by the U.S. Congress and state how contradictory and undeserved this deed is toward our people. It is known to the world that Nagorno-Karabakh is a land occupied by Armenia and their troops, and sending financial aid to support their lives in an occupied region is not only false, but a display of defence of the separatists.

We would like to hope that you, as a supporter of democracy and peace in the world, understand our appeal to this decision made by the U.S. Congress and hope that the government of the United States of America does not give authorization to the supporting of occupants and terrorists. We hope that, in accordance with the four resolutions made by the United Nations, the occupiers of Azerbaijani territory will vacate the region, and that the United States of America, an OSCE Minsk Group co-chair, will contribute to peace and stability in the region by pushing for a solution in accordance with the resolutions of the United Nations and hence for the Armenian occupant troops withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh. This decision by the U.S. congress makes us highly doubtful of the United States of America’s will and ability to assist in the work for peace and stability in the region.

 

The United States has previously stated that it recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders, and that the U.S. will assist the peaceful solution of the problem. The U.S. Congress’s latest decision makes us doubt it.

 

The U.S. government is fully aware of the existence of the Azerbaijani population of Nagorno-Karabakh who has been forced to leave their homes and live as refugees for almost two decades. Nevertheless, the U.S. government provides economical support to the Armenians and not to those negatively affected by the conflict. Why is the U.S. government being partial in this conflict?

 

We truly believe and hope that you Mr. President Barack Obama, the recently awarded Nobel Peace Prize laureate, will use your right to put a veto on the Congress decision and thus promote peace and security in the South Caucasus.

 

Sincerely,

Settar Sevigin
president of the Azerbaijani Federation in Sweden

 

Stockholm, 19.XII.2009