Treat sovereignty consistently

As the fighting between the Russian-backed separatists and the Ukrainian army is escalating, U.S. and European leaders highlight the inviolability of sovereignty and territorial integrity of U.N. member states. During his Feb. 9 news conference, President Obama stated: “The broad principle that we have to stand up for not just Ukraine, but the principle of territorial integrity and sovereignty. …”

Another post-Soviet nation of Azerbaijan has been a victim of a similar aggression. In 1991-94, the armed forces of Armenia, Russia’s ally, occupied and ethnically cleansed nearly a fifth of Azerbaijan’s recognized sovereign territory including Nagorno-Karabakh. 800,000 Azerbaijanis have become refugees, while the Armenia-installed puppet regime of Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) continues to claim legitimacy over the occupied territories.

While Congress and the White House condemn Russia’s actions in Ukraine, our federal and state legislators influenced by the Armenian special interest groups refrain from denouncing Armenia’s aggression. Some even seek extending aid or recognition to the separatist NKR regime. Since early 2000s, Congress has been allocating U.S. taxpayer dollars to the separatist NKR regime.

I join members of Azerbaijani Society of America in a hope that our elected officials will finally treat the sovereignty and integrity of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine consistently.

Ruslan Babayev

Spokane