Ambassador Sargsyan's remarks at the Congressional Celebration of the Nagorno Karabakh Independence

09 December, 2015

On December 9, 2016, annual event celebrating the 24th anniversary of the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic took place in the Rayburn House Office Building of the US Congress. Mr. Karen Mirzoyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno-Karabakh and Ambassador Tigran Sargsyan addressed the participants of the meeting. Ed Royce, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Frank Palone and Robert Dold, co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus of Armenian Issues, as well as Representatives Adam Schiff, Katherine Clark, Judy Chu, Dina Titus and Jim Costa participated in the event.

Below is Ambassador Sargsyan’s remarks on the event:

Your Excellency Mr. Mirzoyan,

Dear Congressman Pallone, Congressman Dold and Members of the House of Representatives,

Your Eminences, Reverend Fathers,

Dear members of the Armenian-American organizations and Compatriots,

It is a great honor and privilege to address this distinguished audience. I would like to congratulate you on the 24th anniversary of the independence of Artsakh and express my deep appreciation for the organization of this wonderful event.

We highly appreciate the tireless efforts made by the members and the Co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues keeping the Nagorno-Karabakh cause high on the congressional agenda. I would like to thank you for your ongoing contribution to the security of Artsakh and the peace and stability of our region.

It has already become a tradition that a high-level official from the Government of Artsakh joins us at this annual event. This year I have the privilege of welcoming the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh, His Excellency Mr. Karen Mirzoyan.

His participation in this event is itself a manifestation of the independence of Artsakh: independence which was achieved through a struggle and hardship, the fight for freedom and the right to self-determination; independence which was not possible without the solidarity and unity demonstrated by the Armenian people and the wholehearted support provided by our brothers and sisters throughout the world.

In this regard, the role of the American Armenian community is truly unique. Armenian organizations in the United States and, in particular, the Armenian National Committee and the Armenian Assembly of America have always been devoted to the freedom of Arstakh. They have always played an active role in advocating the just cause of Artsakh and promoting initiatives aimed at strengthening its independence.

Dear friends,

Today the most important and promising initiative, considered in the framework of the negotiation process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, is the proposal for the establishment of an investigation and fire-monitoring mechanism along the line of contact between Armenian and Azeri forces. This internationally sponsored mechanism - designed as a measure to safeguard peace - will make it impossible to violate the ceasefire without consequences for those responsible for the provocation. We fully support this idea. We believe that its implementation will have a positive impact on the situation in the region. It will contribute to the preservation of peace and, as a result, to the creation of more favorable conditions for progress in the negotiations.

In this context, I would like to mention the bipartisan letter recently initiated by Congressmen Ed Royce and Eliot Engel. We greatly value this initiative. It is aimed at supporting the idea of establishing an investigation and fire monitoring mechanism. Over 80 Members of the House supported this topical and very important initiative. Today I have the opportunity to express our gratitude to all Members of the House who signed the letter and thereby made a contribution to the peace and stability in our region.

Dear colleagues,

December 9th is the International Day of the Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and the Prevention of this Crime. It is symbolic that the event dedicated to the freedom of Artsakh is being held this very day. Through the celebration of the independence of Artsakh, today we commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide, we pay tribute to our holy martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the future generations, and celebrate our victory over the powers that wanted to destroy the Armenian nation.

Dear Colleagues,

In conclusion, I would like to thank all members of the Armenian Caucus for their permanent attention to the situation in our region and their continuous efforts to support Armenian people, maintain peace, and find a just and peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

MFA RA
official website

Dual citizenship

Electronic visa

Visa applications