Armenia’s Bid for U.S. Aid

* I cannot help but respond to the article by Raffi K. Hovannisian (Commentary, Feb. 25), arguing that Washington has not given sufficient consideration to the needs of Armenia.

Armenia might find more sympathy in the United States and the world if it were not engaged in a war of aggression against Azerbaijan--a war in which Armenian forces have occupied 25% of my country, looted and burned hundreds of villages, created a million refugees, killed more than 16,000 and wounded another 50,000.

When you take actions like that, you should not expect sympathy or support. The current Armenian government is now supporting:

* A war of aggression for territory, in violation of all international norms of behavior. Armenia is seeking through force of arms to create a Greater Armenia. I believe this action is the result of a small group of ultranationalists, not the Armenian people as a whole, with whom Azerbaijanis have lived and worked for centuries.

* The premise that borders and territorial sovereignty can be violated through force, again in violation of international law and contrary to the principles upheld by the United Nations, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and every major world power. What Armenian forces are attempting is no different from the Iraqi attempt to conquer Kuwait through force.

* A series of Armenian offensives that have made one in every seven citizens of Azerbaijan a refugee. On top of that, the Armenian government’s American lobby persuaded Congress to enact a ban on direct aid--even for refugees--in Azerbaijan. Armenians are indeed suffering terribly because of their government’s actions, but nothing in comparison to the tens of thousands of innocent Azerbaijanis who lost their homes and are now living out the winter in open camps beside the roads.

So, please, Mr. Hovannisian, spare us the crocodile tears. When Armenia starts acting like other civilized countries it will gain more sympathy throughout the world.

HAFIZ MIR JALAL PASHAYEV

Ambassador of Azerbaijan

Washington