Sept 3 2021
Congressional Armenian Caucus leaders mark 30th anniversary of Artsakh independence
September 2, 2021, 23:22
Congressional Armenian Caucus leaders mark 30th anniversary of Artsakh independence; call on the U.S. to penalize Turkey and Azerbaijan for ongoing aggression against Artsakh and Armenia; urge OSCE Minsk Group leaders to include Artsakh in renewed peace negotiations.
The full text of the Congressional Armenian Caucus letter to Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan below:
President Harutyunyan:
We write to congratulate you and the people of the Republic of Artsakh on the 30th Anniversary of your independence.
The United States Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues offers our support and commitment to Artsakh on this celebration of three decades of your independence. We continue to stand with your people as they face with incredible resilience the ongoing challenges and threats posed by Azerbaijan. Artsakh’s transformation over the years is truly a testament to its people and to the leaders like you who have helped guide it along the way, despite the constant pressure and acts of aggression taken by the regime of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
We continue working diligently to persuade the Biden Administration to take every available diplomatic action to penalize the Azerbaijani & Turkish regimes for their deadly and illegal attacks on Artsakh last fall. This conflict clearly demonstrates the dire need for international actors to take a stronger position pressuring Aliyev to return in good faith to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group negotiations. And, we continue to push for Artsakh to directly participate in negotiations regarding its future status and security to ensure a durable and lasting peace.
We remain committed to pushing for official engagement between the United States government and your administration, and we look forward to working with you to build on Artsakh’s already impressive transformation in the face of so many challenges. Again, please accept our sincerest congratulations on this important occasion and offer our full support for your country.
Sincerely,
Frank Pallone Jr.
Member of Congress
Gus Bilirakis
Member of Congress
Jackie Speier
Member of Congress
David Valadao
Member of Congress
Adam Schiff
Member of Congress