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  • Record Number Of U. S. Congressmen Join Celebration Of 25th Annivers

    RECORD NUMBER OF U. S. CONGRESSMEN JOIN CELEBRATION OF 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARTSAKH INDEPENDENCE

    17:14, 14 March, 2013

    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~Rs 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~Rs 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~Rs 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.




    From: A. Papazian
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