Hypocrisy of US democracy: Congressman Schiff's misguided support for Armenia

The liberation of Azerbaijan ancestral lands, which were under Armenian occupation for nearly 30 years due to Armenia's military aggression, through the 44-day Patriotic War and anti-terror measures, along with Azerbaijan's growing military-political power and increasing economic development in the South Caucasus, seems to continue to disturb Western countries for some time. France, in particular, and other European countries with pro-Armenian legislative bodies and governments, periodically make groundless and biased statements against Azerbaijan.

It is evident that Western countries, which export political crises, coups, and wars to any point in the world, find it difficult to demonstrate an adequate response to the new geopolitical reality in the South Caucasus. The West's inflammatory approach to the processes, as well as the unstable and disruptive stance of official Yerevan, are of this nature. Armenia still does not respond to Azerbaijan's peace proposals. On the contrary, following the manipulation of its patrons in the West, it hinders the process.

The US and France, in particular, are taking systematic steps to revive the "Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," which has been thrown into the dustbin of history. The recent discussion of the "Artsakh Revenue Recovery Act" in the US Congress regarding Azerbaijan's "aggression" against Karabakh is another provocation by forces seeking to create new tensions in the region. The proposal by Adam Schiff, vice-chair of the Congressional Armenian Caucus, and several other congressmen to adopt the "Artsakh Revenue Recovery Act" for 2024 on September 18 should be viewed as a threat to Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, rather than protecting the rights of Armenians who voluntarily left Karabakh.

The document's first page includes a clause on the armament of Armenia by the US and France. After Azerbaijan ensured its territorial integrity, the West's desire to arm Armenia is nothing but an attempt to increase tension and undermine stability in the region.

The signing of new contracts with Yerevan regarding arms trade is a practical indicator of the US and France's insidious intentions regarding the region. Armenia should only be cautious in this matter. Any new provocation against Azerbaijan's strengthening army will cost Yerevan dearly.

The document then mentions large-scale economic assistance to Armenia. Additionally, the steps taken by the Armenian diaspora in various countries around the world to ensure financial breathing room for Armenia through their campaigns are also noteworthy. The steps of several states and international organizations that finance Armenia with debt funds and infrastructure investments are indirectly taken to finance terrorism and occupation. Thus, in this regard, in recent times, a portion of the funds attracted by Armenia from foreign organizations for financing infrastructure projects is subsequently spent on the development of transport corridors through money laundering schemes. These corridors are also noted by international organizations as dangerous routes for drug trafficking and arms transportation. The new "Marshall Plan" drawn up by the US and its allies for Armenia in April of this year should be considered as a continuation of the "generous" aid to Armenia from the European Peace Fund and the US Agency for International Development.

All of this is a purposeful policy, with the aim of "reviving" the Karabakh problem and preparing Armenia for a new war over Karabakh. It creates new hopes in Armenia and hardens its position. Armenia has already started talking more about "Nagorno-Karabakh," with the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister talking about "ethnic cleansing." Armenia is beginning to repeat its old mistakes that resulted in anti-terror operations last year.

The states and organizations that consider themselves influential have never listened to the voices of Azerbaijanis who were subjected to forced displacement due to the occupation of their lands for 30 years, and turned a blind eye to the Armenian occupation.

According to Schiff and other congressmen's other demands, all US financial institutions holding Azerbaijan's sovereign assets must report these assets to the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Within 60 days of the bill's adoption, the president must block transactions with these assets, and within 90 days after the block, they must be seized. In their view, the "Artsakh Revenue Recovery Fund" will receive Azerbaijan's confiscated assets and then use these funds to compensate Armenians displaced from "Artsakh" who lost their property, businesses, and jobs as a result of Azerbaijan's "military attack." It is clear that this proposal means the plundering of the sovereign assets of a state.

Baku has repeatedly demonstrated its open and peaceful position regarding the reintegration of Armenian residents living in the Karabakh region. Even a year ago, the plan announced with reintegration envisaged bringing the physical and social infrastructure provision (education, healthcare, energy, gas, water, roads, communications, land reclamation, etc.) of the areas where Karabakh Armenians live to the level of the country's average indicators within a certain period, an incentive package to accelerate economic development in the Karabakh and East Zangazur economic regions, including tax and customs concessions, concessional loans for entrepreneurial activities, subsidization of interest rates, and loan guarantees.

Despite Azerbaijan's repeated calls for Armenian residents to stay in their homes and return, it is clear as day that Armenians have no intention of returning to sovereign Azerbaijani territories. In this case, the West's "Armenian zealotry" is by no means about protecting their rights and ensuring their livelihood. At most, it is nothing but creating a new hotbed of conflict in the South Caucasus and taking it out of under the influence of Russia, Türkiye, and Iran. History shows at what cost the US military presence in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria has come to these countries.

As for Congressman Schiff, it seems his chest yearns for new orders and medals. It should be noted that in 2011, he was awarded the Mkhitar Gosh Medal for his significant contribution to the strengthening and development of Armenian-American friendship relations, as well as the international recognition of the invented Armenian "genocide", and in 2021, he was awarded the Order of Friendship.

The US should not forget that Azerbaijan has the decisive say in the implementation of all economic and transport projects in the South Caucasus. Currently, Azerbaijan is accepted as the main transit country for delivering the energy resources of Central Asia to European markets via an alternative route. In this regard, Azerbaijan's response to any US provocation may lead to devastating consequences for Washington.