Azerbaijan's fatal November 12th sniper attacks against the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) highlight the urgent need for U.S. leadership in implementing the common-sense, life-saving proposals being advanced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), Ranking Democrat Eliot Engel (D-NY) and over 80 of their U.S. House colleagues, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) . "The cold-blooded killing Thursday night of two Artsakh servicemen by Azerbaijani snipers starkly underscores the urgent need for U.S. leadership in implementing the Royce-Engel proposals - three common-sense, pro-peace measures backed by 85 U.S.
Representatives, on a bipartisan basis, to save lives and avert war," stated ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. According to the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Defense Ministry, Azerbaijani snipers killed privates Vahe Vanoyan (born in 1995) and Mikael Torosyan (born in 1996) on the southern borders of Artsakh at 9:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, November 12th. These killings bring the number of Armenian combat related deaths to 33 in 2015 alone. The ANCA has launched an online grassroots advocacy campaign to Members of Congress, urging legislators to press the Obama Administration for the immediate implementation of the Royce-Engel proposals: -- An agreement from all sides not to deploy snipers along the line of contact. -- The placement of OSCE-monitored, advanced gunfire-locator systems and sound- ranging equipment to determine the source of attacks along the line of contact. -- The deployment of additional OSCE observers along the line of contact to better monitor cease-fire violations.
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh have both expressed support for these life-saving initiatives; Azerbaijan continues to obstruct their implementation.