MEDIA ALERT: NKR DEPUTY FM ARTICLE ABOUT ARTSAKH ADVOCACY IN US

DATE: March 11, 2009
TO: Media Colleagues
RE: NKR DEPUTY FM ARTICLE ABOUT ARTSAKH ADVOCACY IN US

On March 7, 2009, the Armenian Reporter published an article by
Vardan Barseghian, NKR Deputy Foreign Minister.

Named `Defending Artsakh’s Interests in the United States’, the
publication offers a brief overview of Vardan Barseghian’s nearly
decade-long service as NKR Permanent Representative to the United
States and a vision for continued Artsakh advocacy in Washington.

The full text of the article is provided below. You can also view it
online at:
efending-artsakh-s-interests-in-the-united-states& amp;pagewanted=all

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The Armenian Reporter

Defending Artsakh’s Interests in the United States

by Vardan Barseghian,
NKR Deputy Foreign Minister

Published: Saturday March 07, 2009

Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh – After I served nearly a decade as
NKR permanent representative (ambassador) to the United States
(August 1999-January 2009), President Bako Sahakian recently asked
me to return to Artsakh to continue my carrier at the NKR Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, where I have since been appointed deputy
minister.
Taking the opportunity of this medium, I want to, first of all,
express gratitude to everyone who have contributed to the work of
the Office of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in the United States
(Artsakh’s Embassy) and extended their friendship to me and my
family throughout these years. I look forward to a continued
engagement with all our well-wishers and to seeing you in Artsakh
frequently.
This commentary will recap some of the accomplishments and offer a
look to the future of Artsakh’s diplomatic mission in the United
States now led by my able successor Robert Avetisian.
Throughout my posting in Washington, the focus of our work has been
on defending and advancing Artsakh’s political and economic
interests in the United States, on expansion of ties between our two
countries, and on promotion of our shared objectives of regional
peace, democracy, and prosperity.
We engaged with the State Department, Congress, policy and academic
circles, media, and the Armenian-American community to build support
for Artsakh’s aspirations to live in freedom and secure from
aggression, to facilitate humanitarian and investment projects that
have helped rebuild Artsakh’s war-torn infrastructure and also
spurred economic development.
We worked closely with our allies on Capitol Hill and the
Washington-based Armenian-American organizations to ensure
continuation and expansion of U.S. direct economic assistance to
Nagorno-Karabakh. It is fulfilling to see that in the fiscal 2009
budget, Congress allocated up to $8,000,000 for aid programs in
Nagorno-Karabakh. I thank the U.S. government and the American
people for this critical assistance.
On political front, we continually educated members of Congress
about Artsakh’s ongoing struggle for freedom. As a result, over 100
members of the House of Representatives signed letters urging the
U.S. president to take note of Artsakh’s progress and to promote
formal U.S. recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. In
cooperation with Armenian-American organizations and our
congressional friends, we organized several Capitol Hill events
dedicated to Artsakh, bringing together members of Congress,
prominent human rights advocates and lawyers, and hundreds of
activists.
The office arranged and facilitated dozens of visits by senior NKR
officials to the United States. These included bilateral visits and
those in the framework of annual Armenia Fund telethons that have
generated over $150 million for major infrastructure projects in
Artsakh and Armenia.
Seeking to raise international awareness about our struggle for
freedom, we launched a first-ever comprehensive English-language
website about Artsakh at Thanks to this website we
met many well-wishers worldwide. Some of these new friends ended up
sponsoring projects in Artsakh; many also volunteered their skills
and time.
Mindful of the importance of the modern media in our outreach
efforts, we launched ArtsakhOnline, a YouTube channel. One of our
first installments, a short documentary film "Struggle for Freedom,"
produced in cooperation with Los Angeles filmmaker Peter Musurlian,
has been watched over 10,000 times.
Since 1999, we have published a monthly newsletter distributed in
print in Washington, the United States, and around the world. The
newsletter was also available online. Last year, the newsletter
transitioned to a more frequent electronic-only format distributed
by email.
Our office monitored major media outlets, reacting when necessary to
misrepresentations of Artsakh, while also promoting objective
coverage. My letters to the editor appeared repeatedly in the
Washington Post, Washington Times, Wall Street Journal, and
Christian Science Monitor. In Washington our work has been covered
by the Washington Diplomat, Diplomatic Traffic, Voice of America,
and Eurasia Net.
I had opportunities to speak at Harvard’s Kennedy School of
Government, the University of Texas, the Zoryan Institute in
Toronto, and elsewhere. Under my leadership, the office facilitated
expert research, conferences, visits to, and publications about
Artsakh.
We worked closely with the Detroit-based Armenian Children’s Relief
Fund and other supporters to sponsor medical treatment for dozens of
Artsakh children, as well as wounded veterans; we also connected
benefactors to humanitarian projects in Artsakh.
More recently, in cooperation with the Armenian General Benevolent
Union (AGBU) and the Americans for Artsakh (AFA) we launched a
series of professional training seminars for NKR officials. The
first session successfully concluded last summer; the second
session, focused on effective communication and conflict resolution,
is currently underway in Stepanakert.
Hundreds of friends, Armenians and non-Armenians alike, have stood
by the office throughout these years, providing financial support,
volunteering their expertise and time, and helping to advance our
common objectives.
On behalf of my government, I thank again the Armenian Assembly of
America, the Cafesjian Family Foundation, the AGBU, and the Armenian
Missionary Association of America and their leadership for extending
critical financial and technical support throughout these years.
Special thanks to Armen Kanayan of Stratomedia for his tireless
volunteer efforts to develop and maintain our website; I also want
to single out Joan Ablett and Emil Sanamyan for their support.
This is the short list of our efforts so far. What is next for
Artsakh advocacy in America?
As with any institution, greater financial security of our office
remains a priority to be able not only to maintain but also to
expand our operations. It is also time for Artsakh’s diplomatic
representation to have its own roof in Washington.
Our political agenda should remain in focus. The United States
remains a global leader and one of the lead mediators in the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, and that means a sustained and
deepened engagement with all branches of the U.S. government is
needed. In Congress, that means reaching out both to our friends and
opponents, as we have done in the past.
Speaking with one voice on Artsakh is critical to success. Through
collaboration with the Armenian Embassy and Washington-based
Armenian-American organizations, we have established this common
agenda on Artsakh: (1) expansion of U.S.-NKR relations; (2)
continuation of U.S. direct aid to Artsakh while transitioning from
humanitarian to development projects; and (3) safeguarding regional
peace.
Artsakh and the United States share universal values of freedom,
democracy, and peace. We both fought fierce wars (although some 200
years apart) to free ourselves from foreign tyranny, to be the
masters of our own destiny, and to enjoy the promise of liberty,
equality, and justice for all.
Sharing many of the modern challenges, we are also partners in
advancing common goals of peace and economic development. This is a
great foundation to take the U.S.-NKR relations to the next level,
ensuring unhindered communication and collaboration.
Expansion of U.S. economic aid to Artsakh while transitioning from
humanitarian to development projects is critical to ensuring that
all parts of the South Caucasus region receive equal opportunities
to rebuild war-damaged infrastructure, providing aid to refugees and
internally displaced persons, and ensuring steady economic
development. Drinking water, healthcare, and mine clearance remain
on the top of our priorities and Artsakh will continue to be an
effective and responsible partner in advancing all aid programs.
At the same time, considering the genocidal rhetoric and increasing
capabilities of our opponents, the possibility of renewed aggression
against the Armenian nation is unfortunately all too real.
We are confident in our ability to defend ourselves, but our
overriding diplomatic priority is to preempt a new war, saving lives
on both sides of the current divide while building on a promise of a
peaceful future for all.
Artsakh’s noble struggle is continuing on political, diplomatic,
economic, informational, and cultural fronts. Unity in purpose and
action remains the key to our sustained success in Washington and
elsewhere around the world.

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This material is distributed by the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic in the USA (NKR Office) on behalf of the Government of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The NKR Office is registered with the
U.S. Government under the Foreign Agent Registration Act. Additional
information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington,
D.C.

The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States is
based in Washington, DC and works with the U.S. government, academia
and the American public representing the official policies and
interests of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Artsakh.

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Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036

Tel: (202) 223-4330
Fax: (202) 223-4332
Email: info@nkrusa.org
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