Leaders of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) have sent a letter to Artsakh’s President-elect Arayik Harutyunyan, congratulating the people of Artsakh on recent presidential and parliamentary elections and calling for formal U.S. recognition of Artsakh.
The full text of the Congressional Armenian Caucus letter to President-Elect Arayik Harutyunyan is provided below:
Dear President-Elect Harutyunyan,
As members of the United States Congress and the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, we write to offer our congratulations on Artsakh’s historic election on March 31 and the subsequent presidential run-off election that took place earlier this week.
We are heartened to see the people of Artsakh and the country’s leaders remain dedicated to peaceful democracy during these difficult times. Artsakh has remained committed to a system of democratic governance that reflects the will of its citizens, all despite continued violence and threats from its hostile neighbor. And, while we understand there were some complications created by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the relative ease in which voters could cast ballots in these elections without interference clearly represents the strength of the democratic process in the Republic.
As Co-Chairs of the Congressional Armenian Issues Caucus, we remain committed to promoting and bolstering the democratic independence of Artsakh. We will continue to support the rightful exercise of self-determination which contributes to regional stability and development. Please know that we will also continue to explore ways to strengthen the ties between the United States and Artsakh that includes the formal recognition of its independence.
Once again, please accept our congratulations on an election that was calm, peaceful, and free of corruption or voter intimidation. We look forward to continuing our productive and robust dialogue with your administration moving forward.
