WASHINGTON. – Karabakh FM Karen Mirzoyan today had separate meetings in Washington with members of the U.S. Congress, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Frank Pallone and Robert Dold, as well as Congresswoman Anna Eshoo. On the same day, accompanied by Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of America Ken Khachikian and Kate Nahapetian, who is responsible for the Committee’s relations with the U.S. Government, Karen Mirzoyan met with U.S. Senator, member of the Appropriations Committee Mark Kirk.
During the meeting, a range of issues related to the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict peaceful settlement process, provocations on the Line of Contact by Azerbaijan, as well as the U.S. humanitarian assistance rendered to Karabakh were discussed.
On the same day, the Karabakh FM took part in a traditional event dedicated to the anniversary of Artsakh’s independence held in the U.S. Congress. The event was organized under the auspices of the Co-Chairs of the U.S. Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues and through the joint efforts of the Armenian National Committee of America, the Armenian Assembly of America, the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to the USA, and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Permanent Representation to the USA.
The event, which started with the prayer of blessing by the Armenian Church’s North American Eastern Diocese Legate, Archbishop Vigen Haykazian, was attended by representatives of the American Armenian organizations and communities, staff members of Congressmen’s Offices, experts, and journalists.
A number of Congressmen attended the event and delivered speeches, including Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Frank Pallone and Robert Dold, Congressman Adam Schiff, and others. The Congressmen expressed their support for the NKR’s independence and democratic development and underlined their readiness to continue to focus on the issues related to Artsakh. The speakers also stressed the necessity of taking immediate steps for reducing the tensions on the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Karabakh and Azerbaijan.
RA Ambassador to the U.S. Tigran Sargsyan also welcomed the participants of the event with his address.
The Karabakh FM briefed on the state-building process in the NKR, stressing that the path that Artsakh people have gone through serves as a proof that it is impossible to limit the strive of people to decide their own future and fate.
Mirzoyan also expressed his gratitude to the Congressmen for their continued support in the issues related to the NKR.
Apart from this, he touched upon the current stage of the process of peaceful settlement of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Karabakh and briefed on the situation on the Line of Contact aggravated due to Azerbaijan’s provocative policy.
The Minister stressed that Karabakh is an established state with all the attributes and institutions of statehood, its Constitution, an active civil society and a vibrant economy.
Artsakh is also an important geopolitical factor in the region, which contributes to the stability and peace. Throughout its independence, Karabakh has proven to be a reliable, predictable, and responsible partner for the international community and is consistent in its actions aimed at maintaining regional peace and stability.
At the end of his speech, Karen Mirzoyan expressed confidence that the time had come for the international community to accept the reality and to recognize the free and democratic Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.