House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (left) and Rep. Jackie Speier (right) with Armenia's Defense Minister Suren Papikyan in Yerevan on Sept. 18
Before departing Armenia on Monday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the members of her Congressional delegation met with Armenia’s Defense Minister Suren Papikyan, who briefed them on Azerbaijan’s latest attack on Armenia.
Pelosi, who was accompanied by representatives Frank Pallone, Jackie Speier and Anna Eshoo, were provided a detailed account of last week’s attack by Azerbaijan on Armenia’s sovereign territory.
In her remarks on Sunday, Pelosi strongly condemned Azerbaijan’s “illegal attack” on Armenia’s territory.
According to a defense ministry press statement, Papikyan thanked Pelosi for the words of condemnation she offered against Azerbaijan.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at Zvartnots International Airport ahead of her departure from Yerevan on Sept. 19
The statement also said U.S.-Armenia cooperation in the defense sector was also discussed.
Throughout their visit in Armenia, Pelosi and other members of the delegation pointed out that that the purpose of their visit was to listen, learn and take the information back to Washington. They did not pledge any U.S. policy changes.
Pelosi and Speier spoke about pending legislation in the House of Representatives calling on the Biden Administration to halt military aid to Azerbaijan. Other Congressional efforts have included letters to the president urging him to reverse his waver of Section 907.
Now that Pelosi, who is the highest ranking U.S. official to visit Armenia, has become acquainted with the military challenges facing Armenia, perhaps it will hasten the passage of the pending measures in Congress.