20th ANNIVERSARY OF NAGORNO KARABAGH MOVEMENT MARKED AT CAPITOL HILL PROGRAM

Noyan Tapan

Se p 22, 2008

WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 22, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The 20th
anniversary of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic (Artsakh) freedom movement
was marked at a Capitol Hill program headlined by prominent lawyer
and humanitarian Mark Geragos.

The evening, titled "Nagorno Karabakh Republic/Artsakh: 20 Years of
Freedom, Democracy and Progress," was hosted by the Congressional
Caucus of Armenian Issues in cooperation with the Embassy of the
Republic of Armenia, the Nagorno Karabagh Representation in the U.S.,
and Armenian American organizations, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

In his keynote address, Geragos challenged Members of Congress to
increase their support for Nagorno Karabagh, calling the million in
U.S. assistance allocated to date to Nagorno Karabagh insufficient,
and asserting that this aid package, to a democratic nation in a
troubled region, should be at least at the 0 million level.

Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Tatoul Markarian and NKR Representative
in the U.S. Vardan Barseghian provided insight on the current peace
talks over Nagorno Karabagh and the ongoing commitment of both
countries to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. A special video
marking the 20th anniversary of the Artsakh movement highlighted the
economic progress and strengthening of democracy in the Republic.