Record number of U. S. congressmen join celebration of 25th anniversary of Artsakh independence

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS. The Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ed Royce (R-CA), joined with fellow members of the Congressional Armenian Caucus and the visiting Minister of Youth and Culture from the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, Narine Aghabalyan, in a bipartisan Capitol Hill celebration marking the 25th anniversary of the Artsakh democracy and freedom movement. The ANCA told "Armenpress" that record number of U. S. congressmen joined the celebration.

The event, hosted by the Congressional Armenian Caucus in the historic Cannon Building, featured a keynote address by Minister Aghabalyan, remarks by Chairman Royce, comments by the two Co-Chairman of the Armenian Caucus, Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Michael Grimm (R-NY), a moving speech by Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA), and messages by Congresswomen Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Jackie Speier (D-CA). Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI) welcomed Minister Aghabalyan to the event, and participated in the evening's celebration. Staff representing over two dozen Congressional offices also participated.

Rep. Pallone concurred, noting that "Karabakh is an independent republic, it should be recognized as such. Any ultimate negotiation through the OSCE Minsk Group or through any other means has to provide for the right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh, either to remain as an independent country or to join with the Republic of Armenia, if that’s how they see fit."

In her remarks, Minister Aghabalyan explained that: "The Nagorno Karabakh Republic is a legal state, which was created through the free expression of the democratic will of the people of Karabakh, and it is, in fact, the non-recognition of this state that contradicts international laws and norms. Our unrecognized status prevents the full realization of the rights of the people who live in Artsakh. It is appropriate to cite the words of the third President of the United States, an outstanding public figure, Thomas Jefferson: 'Everything is changeable in the world except the natural rights of people.'"

Chairman Royce and Representative Schiff both reminded attendees about Azerbaijan’s pardon, praise, promotion of convicted axe-murderer Ramil Safarov, who killed Armenian officer Gourgen Margaryan in his sleep during a NATO Partnership for Peace English-language training program in Hungary.

"Safarov’s rapturous welcome in Baku is testament to the degree of anti-Armenian hatred that is being incited in contemporary Azerbaijan. That a man, who nearly decapitated a comrade, in his sleep, could be treated as a national hero is so inexplicable and appalling, it vindicates the concern of many Armenians that the forced imposition of Azeri sovereignty over the free people of Artsakh would result in a blood bath," stated Rep. Schiff, who went on to call for the zeroing out of all U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan. "By cutting off military aid to Azerbaijan, the U.S. can signal its disgust with the Safarov affair but also remind Aliyev that the U.S. will not tolerate any acts of aggression against Armenia or Artsakh."

"Nagorno Karabakh is all about freedom. Freedom was the inspiration for the Nagorno Karabakh democracy movement back in 1988. Freedom has been the cornerstone of this proud Republic's remarkable growth over the past quarter century. And, today, twenty-five years later, freedom remains the key to finding a peaceful and democratic way to finally bring an end to Azerbaijan's aggression," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.