Artsakh National Assembly Issues Statement

Statement

We welcome the resolution presented by U.S. Congress members Anna Eshoo and Chris Smith to the U.S. House of Representatives, which proposes to officially recognize the ethnic cleansing carried out by Azerbaijan in Artsakh, hold Azerbaijan accountable for war crimes, and protect the right of Artsakh people to return safely and securely.

We emphasize that this resolution by U.S. Congress members condemns Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of Artsakh and the military aggression unleashed in September 2023. It calls on the U.S. President and relevant federal agencies to take immediate actions to:

• Ensure the fundamental right of the forcibly displaced people of Artsakh to return freely and safely to their homeland under strong security guarantees;
• Implement sanctions against Azerbaijani officials guilty of war crimes;
• Provide humanitarian assistance to Armenia to address the humanitarian issues of forcibly displaced Artsakh residents;
• Cease U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan;
• Take steps for the immediate release of Armenian prisoners of war illegally held in Azerbaijan, including those from the political and military leadership of Artsakh, and ensure the preservation of Armenian cultural heritage in Artsakh.

We are hopeful that the resolution presented by the Congress members will be officially adopted by the House of Representatives and that its provisions will be reflected in the policy pursued by the U.S. executive, contributing to the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the South Caucasus.

Acting Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Artsakh, Gagik Bagunts
Ombudsman of the Republic of Artsakh, Gegham Stepanyan
Member of the Rights Protection Commission of the Republic of Artsakh, Karen Bekaryan
Yerevan, 01.07.2024