Arizona House Speaker’s Artsakh Self-Determination Support Refuted

To: Mr. Ben Toma, Arizona State House Speaker – re. Your public statement: “’Artsakh’ right to self-determination”

To: Mr. Ben Toma, Arizona State House Speaker

https://www.azleg.gov/house-member/?legislature=56&session=127&legislator=2202

Dear Mr. Toma,

Ben Toma, Arizona State House Speaker

My name is Nurit Greenger. I follow honesty and truthfulness. As Arizona State House Speaker I find the Arizona State Legislature affirmation of the “Republic of Artsakh” disturbing.

On 31 May 2013: U.S. State of Arizona recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory.

On April 18, 2018: Arizona’s State Senate Upholds Its Steady Support for Territorial Integrity of Azerbaijan.

Now, on May 24, 2023: Arizona Legislature affirms “Artsakh” right to self-determination, statements which contradicts the above two affirmations/recognitions made by Arizona.

Your recognition of “’Artsakh’ right to self-determination,” is not a call for peace, rather, it is adding fuel to Armenia’s ongoing hostilities toward Azerbaijan.

Your call for “International recognition of ‘Artsakh’ as the key to establishing lasting regional peace” is an obfuscation of truth and reality.

For over 30 years Armenia, illegally and with aggressive hostilities and against the United Nations Security Council 4-resolution, illegally occupied the Nagorno-Karabakh region, to which the Republic of Azerbaijan has legal territorial integrity. This illegal occupation ended with the 2020 44-days war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Since the end of the war Nagorno-Karabakh is back under the control of its legal sovereign, the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Now the Nagorno-Karabakh region, within which “Artsakh” was supposed to be established, is back into its legal owner, the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The few hundred Armenians who are still residing in the Nagorno-Karabakh region will have to become Azerbaijani loyal citizens or move to live within Armenia’s recognized borders.

Mr. Toma, you may be making the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) happy with your obfuscating statement but it is detached from reality and is hostile to Azerbaijan.

The Arizona Legislature has no business muddling in international diplomacy. It is the job of the US State Department.

While the State Department is at present mediating a possible peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, you come up with a statement that may harden Armenia’s negotiations position and the peace process. That is not how you advance peace that is how you create obstacles to peace.

I am asking you herein to publically withdraw your statement that “’Artsakh’ [has] right to self-determination.” There is no such thing as Artsakh’, never was.

Sincerely,

Nurit Greenger, President | US-AZ Cultural Foundation

Los Angeles, California, USA

Arizona Legislature Affirms Artsakh Right to Self-Determination

Calls for International Recognition of Artsakh as the Key to Establishing Lasting Regional Peace @ https://anca.org/press-release/arizona-legislature-affirms-artsakh-right-to-self-determination/

U.S. State of Arizona recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory @ https://www.azernews.az/nation/54706.html

Arizona’s State Senate Upholds Its Steady Support For Territorial Integrity Of Azerbaijan @ https://caspiannews.com/news-detail/arizonas-state-senate-upholds-its-steady-support-for-territorial-integrity-of-azerbaijan-2018-4-17-14/