SW News: The US White House has received a letter from Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, pleading with it to denounce the genocide against Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and make it clear that the United States will not compromise with Azerbaijan in the dispute.

Smith wrote to US President Joe Biden, "In light of the compelling and urgent testimony provided, I respectfully urge you to immediately clarify that the United States does not tolerate, facilitate, or take part in negotiations over genocide, and to publicly inform Azerbaijan that the US will take action through the United Nations to refer the matter to the International Criminal Court for investigation and prosecution."

Luis Moreno Ocampo, a former lead prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, testified before the nonpartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, on Thursday. In his testimony before the commission, Ocampo stated that there is a reasonable basis to believe that Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin Corridor constitutes genocide and that Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, voluntarily, knowingly, and willingly created conditions calculated to destroy 120,000 Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Smith voiced worry in his letter in response to Secretary of State Antony Blinken's recent statement that there is a need for dialogue and compromise and the importance of building confidence between the parties.

"Mr. President, there is little doubt that President Ilham Aliyev, the dictator who runs Azerbaijan, planned, tested, and enforced this humanitarian calamity. His history of violating human rights dates back decades, according to Smith, who met with him in Baku in 2013 and 2014 to discuss his maltreatment and imprisonment of Azerbaijani human rights advocates as well as his cruel treatment of Armenian Christians,” Smith said.

“Thus by encouraging ‘compromise,’ the Secretary appears to facilitate Azerbaijan’s use of genocide as a negotiating tactic. Negotiation may be needed to solve the differences between Azerbaijan and the Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh, but genocide is an abuse impossible to ignore,” he wrote.

In separatist combat that ended in 1994, ethnic Armenian forces took control of Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory of Azerbaijan. In a six-week conflict with Armenia in 2020, Azerbaijan reclaimed control of the surrounding area. Stepanakert, the region's capital, was connected to Armenia by the Lachin Corridor, a road along which Russian peacekeeping forces were meant to protect freedom of movement, after a Russia-brokered truce that ended the conflict. However, Azerbaijani authorities have blockaded the road for the past nine months in an effort to stop arms smuggling. The blockade of the Lachin corridor in Karabakh has caused acute shortages of food, medicines, and other essentials.

"The Biden Administration must wake up, recognize the absolutely grave responsibility it has here, and focus on finding and implementing a humane solution. And this must mean that the blockade is lifted and the people continue to live in their ancient homeland — and not be subject to violence and threats. This situation is now a three-alarm fire," Smith said in a press release.