US senator: Azerbaijan and Turkey must respect Armenian-Azeri border

Three US senators have issued statements on the escalation along the Armenia-Azerbaijan international border sparked by Azerbaijani forces’ attempts to infiltrate and capture a border military position in Armenia on 12 July.

“I stand with Armenia as they protect their territorial integrity. Azerbaijan and Turkey must respect the Armenian-Azeri border, respect the aspirations of the Armenian people of Nagorno-Karabakh, and should deescalate this conflict immediately,” Senator Ed Markey tweeted.

Azerbaijan is once again attempting to start a war with Armenia, Senator Frank Pallone said on Twitter. “Azerbaijan’s constant use of caustic rhetoric aimed at Armenia and Artsakh are part of a concerted effort to provoke another conflict,” he wrote.

In a statement on Monday, Senator Adam Schiff expressed deep concerns over the provocative and destabilizing actions taken by Azerbaijan in recent days along the Armenian border, including the shelling of Armenian soldiers.

“These acts risk the lives of soldiers and civilians, and raise the danger of a spiraling conflict that could be devastating to the region, particularly in the midst of a global pandemic. These actions must also be viewed in context of Azerbaijan’s consistently bellicose rhetoric towards Armenia and Artsakh, and its refusal to allow international monitoring of their borders. I urge the State Department to make clear to all parties the need for restraint and diplomacy, and reduced tensions,” read the statement.