Samantha Power, the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, on Tuesday, October 4, urged Azerbaijan to take specific steps to protect the rights of civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh while maintaining the ceasefire. This senior official of the Biden administration arrived in Yerevan on Monday, October 3, to meet with Armenian officials and discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh region. This visit came a day after the exodus of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia began, following Azerbaijan's victory over the separatists in the region. Ms. Power delivered President Joe Biden's message of support to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, stating that the use of force by Azerbaijan is unacceptable and that Washington is seeking an appropriate response. According to Reuters, she called on Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, to fulfill his promise to protect the rights of ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh and to fully reopen the Lachin corridor, which connects the region to Armenia. This American official also requested Baku to allow humanitarian aid to be sent and to agree to an international observer mission. Additionally, she announced an emergency aid of $11.5 million from the U.S. to the region. So far, at least 13,550 of the 120,000 ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh have fled to Armenia. However, the mountainous road to Armenia is filled with hundreds of cars and buses carrying refugees. The Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development emphasized that the world will soon become more aware of the deteriorating conditions in Nagorno-Karabakh and the suffering of its residents and the reasons for their exodus.
Senior U.S. Official: Baku Must Uphold the Rights of Ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh
Samantha Power, a senior U.S. official, urged Azerbaijan to protect the rights of ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh during her visit to Armenia following a mass exodus of Armenians to the country. The situation is critical as many are fleeing due to fears of ethnic cleansing, and the U.S. is providing emergency aid.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Samantha Power urged Azerbaijan to protect the rights of ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh during her visit to Armenia, following a mass exodus of Armenians fleeing the region. The U.S. announced emergency aid and called for humanitarian access and international oversight.
- Over 13,550 ethnic Armenians have fled to Armenia since Azerbaijan's military actions.
- The U.S. has pledged $11.5 million in emergency aid to the region.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Nagorno-Karabakh has been a flashpoint for conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, with a long history of ethnic tensions and territorial disputes. The recent military actions have led to fears of ethnic cleansing.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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