.png)
May 29, 2024
TO: Secretary of State Anthony Blinken
Department of State
2201 C StNW
Washington, DC 20451
RE: Urgent Concern Regarding Ambassador Libby’s Visit to Shushi, Nagorno Karabakh
Dear Secretary Blinken,
I am writing to you to express significant concern regarding the recent visit of Ambassador Libby to the town of Shushi in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). The timing and purpose of this visit raise serious questions, particularly given the sensitive nature of the territory and its recent history of conflict and the ethnic genocide of Armenian Christians.
As you are aware, Shushi and the region of Nagorno-Karabakh hold immense cultural and historical significance for ethnic Armenian Christians. However, Nagorno-Karabakh is a place where deeply troubling events have taken place, including ethnic cleansing and the destruction of Armenian Christian churches and cemeteries by the government of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan imposed a heinous and illegal blockade on Armenian Christians living in the region, depriving them of critical resources including food, fuel, and medicine. The blockade caused a significant humanitarian disaster which culminated in a military campaign that forced the removal of nearly 120,000 ethnic Armenian Christians from the region. Against this backdrop, Ambassador Libby's visit to Shushi demands a thorough explanation as to why a representative of the United States would legitimize the hostile takeover of a region where tens of thousands of Armenian Christians were subjected to atrocities and their heritage desecrated in such a brutal fashion.
I urge you to provide clarity on the following matters:
Purpose: What was the specific purpose of Ambassador Libby's visit to Shushi? Was it purely diplomatic, or were there other motives behind this visit? And why didn’t the Ambassador recognize the heinous ethnic cleansing that took place in Nagorno-Karabakh just months ago?
Timing: Why did the visit occur at this particular time? Given Shushi’s history as an ancient Armenian city, Azerbaijan’s documented atrocities against Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, and Aliyev's continued threats to pursue more aggression, the timing of such a visit is alarming, especially given Ambassador Libby’s refusal to acknowledge the destruction of Armenian Christian heritage in the region.
Ethnic Cleansing: Will the U.S. government address the documented ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh? Given the substantial evidence available to the State Department, it is crucial that the United States takes a firm stance against any form of ethnic and religious violence and works towards ensuring the safety and rights of all affected communities.
Protection of Armenian Christians: What steps is the U.S. government taking to protect Armenian Christians and their religious sites in Nagorno-Karabakh? The destruction of churches and cemeteries is not only a violation of religious freedom but also a violation of human dignity.
Armenian Christians deserve justice, security, peace, and the right to return to their ancestral homeland in Nagorno-Karabakh. It is imperative that the United States, as a champion of human rights and international law, avoid any actions that consolidate Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh and - just as urgently - lead concrete efforts at the United Nations and other international institutions to ensure that Armenians are able to return to Nagorno-Karabakh under an international mandate, and with a sustained peacekeeping presence.
I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Matias Perttula
Director, Save Armenia
CC:
Ambassador Mark Libby
Ambassador Kristina Kvien
Senator Cardin
Senator Risch
Congressman McCaul
Congressman Meeks
