Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 60, demanded that Azerbaijan open up a road in its mountainous Nagorno-Karabak territory that allows Armenian residents to get vital supplies, including food, medicine and fuel. Armenia and Azerbaijan fought to bloody war in the disputed territory in 1994 where Armenia claims ancient Christian churches, despite Azerbaijan’s current claim to the territory. Two years ago, nearly 7,000 soldiers and thousands of civilians were killed in the conflict, when Muslim Azerbaijan threatened to destroy ancient Christian monasteries and churches. Blinken called Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev to urge “the immediate reopening” of a four-mile corridor to commercial traffic, according to State Department Spokesman Ned Price. “He understands that the risk of a humanitarian crisis . . . . undermined prospects for peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” said Price.
Turkey supports Azerbaijan, a fellow Sunni Muslim country, it its ongoing conflict with Armenia, despite its history of genocide against Armenians when the Ottoman Empire expelled Armenians from Turkey in 1915. Armenians referred to the Ottoman forced expulsion from Turkey as “death marches” to the Syrian Desert where some 1.5 million Armenians perished. Turkey refuses to acknowledge the Armenian genocide threatening to break off diplomatic relations with Washington. No one in Congress has advanced a bill to acknowledge the Ottoman Turk’s genocide of Armenians, arguing that modern day Turkey is not responsible to the acts of the Ottomans. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote Blinken warning of a humanitarian crisis due to Azerbaijan’s blockade of the commercial corridor.
Mendenz told Blinken in an 11-page letter that Armenians were held hostage by Azerbaijan, preventing residents in Nagorno-Karabak from receiving life-supporting supplies. Menendez’s letter was co-signed by Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Armenia, once a Soviet satellite, usually maintains close ties to the Russian Federation but has recently withdrawn attachment to Moscow due to the ongoing Ukraine War. Armenia sides with Ukraine, despite its long history of close ties to Moscow since its independence in 1991. Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan showed more interest, largely financial, in forging closer ties to the U.S. and European Union. Supporting the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine is no longer in the cards for Armenia if its wants Western aid. Russian President Vladimir Putin, 70, has more clout over Baku.
Menendez responded to U.S. Armenian groups that want Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev to open up the four-mile corridor. Aliyev claims that Armenia has been mining Azerbaijan territory in the Nagorno-Karakak region. U.S. officials have no comment about Azerbaijan claims of Armenian encroachment on any mineral rights in the Nagorno-Karabak region. “This blockade is imposing devastation on an already vulnerable region,” Menendez said, claiming shortages of food and medicine. During the last bloody skirmish in 2020, Putin brokered a peace deal that sent Russian peace-keeping troops to Nagorno-Karabak to stop the violence. Azerbaijan authorities say that Armenian protesters have blocked the four-mile corridor leading to Armenian areas of Nagorno-Karabak. Armenia accuses Aliyev of deliberately starving Armenians of necessary supplies to Armenian communities.
With the U.S. and NATO countries escalating he war in Ukraine, Menendez fears that Russia no longer has the resources to maintain peace in the disputed Nagorno-Karabak region. Whether that’s a factor or not, the dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia continues in the Armenian-controlled areas of Nagorno-Karabak. Prime Minister Pashninyan wants more financial aid from the U.S. and EU, distancing himself from Moscow. Whatever the politics, Blinken’s demand to Aliyev could boomerang, with Baku looking to Russia for guidance. U.S.-Russian diplomatic relations are at the lowest point since WW II. Sending Abrams M1 and German Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine could be a major escalation in the war. Putin could start to go after the U.S., EU or NATO targets, widening the conflict to the European Continent. Nagorno-Karaback could be irrelevant soon.
Blinken’s demand on Baku could exacerbate an already tense situation in the disputed Nagorno-Karabak region. U.S. and Turkey diplomatic relations have been strained recently with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opposing Sweden’s entrance into NATO, largely over Stockholm’s support of Kurds. Turkey considers Kurds its mortal enemy, having fought many battles with Turkey’s Kurkish population. Without some cooperation with Moscow, Blinken has only resistance from Turkey now Erdogan has shown political support to Moscow in resolving its conflict with Ukraine. By all accounts the U.S. and EU are escalating the conflict, operating under the misguided belief that Kiev, with U.S. and German tanks, can drive Russian forces out of Ukraine. Erdogan has been the strongest NATO voice to broker a ceasefire and peace deal, using Istanbul as a neutral third party.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
