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Artsakh’s Envoy Calls for Armenian Genocide Recognition
Urges Greater U.S. Political and Economic Support to Artsakh
PRESS RELEASE
April 30, 2008
WASHINGTON, DC – NKR Representative to the United States Vardan Barseghian spoke at the annual Armenian Genocide Observance on Capitol Hill that also featured U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and other members of Congress.
The event was organized by the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, co-chaired by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), in cooperation with the Armenian Embassy in Washington and leading Armenian-American organizations. Armenian Ambassador Tatoul Markarian, Prelate Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, and Dr. Gregory Stanton, President of the International Association of Genocide Scholars also spoke to the audience that included Armenian Genocide survivors, human rights activists, and members of the Armenian community.
In his remarks, Representative Barseghian called upon the United States to recognize the Armenian Genocide saying that it would “send a powerful warning signal to those who plan new ethnic cleansing campaigns that the truth will prevail, that criminal actions will be named for what they are and that the perpetrators will be condemned and will bear responsibility.”
Tying past crimes against humanity to today’s situation, Barseghian said that the Nagorno Karabakh problem is a direct result of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923.
“Weakened by mass killings, deportations and widespread devastation inflicted by the Ottoman Turks, Armenia was not able to hold on to its historic province of Artsakh and eventually gave in to the Soviet pressure to include it within administrative borders of Soviet Azerbaijan. And the consequences of the Armenian Genocide, including that particular decision by the Bolsheviks, continue affecting our lives today, over 90 years later”, the Artsakh representative said.
Stressing that the risk of genocide still exists, Barseghian said that “Azerbaijan continues to threaten Nagorno Karabakh with a new war because we insist on our right to live in freedom.”
“Nagorno Karabakh will continue reinforcing its defense capabilities to be up to the task, but we would like to see our friends on Capitol Hill and those who want to see a stable and peaceful South Caucasus to send a clear signal to Azerbaijan that a new war would not be tolerated,” he said.
On behalf of the NKR Government, Barseghian thanked Representatives Pallone and Knollenberg and other congressional leaders for their steadfast support on issues related to Artsakh’s security, freedom, and economic development. He urged greater U.S. political and economic support.
“We hope that the U.S. Congress will continue its leading role in charting a new format for relations with Nagorno Karabakh that looks beyond conflict resolution to collaboration on issues of security, democracy and economic development.”
Concluding his remarks said Barseghian said that leaders on Capitol Hill acknowledge that in “parallel to our common efforts to make this world genocide-free, we also need to deal with consequences of past crimes and to support those who still struggle for freedom and justice.”
The full text of Rep. Barseghian’s remarks is provided below. You can also view it online at: http://nkrusa.org/nk_conflict/speeches.php?id=7
The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States is based in Washington, DC and works with the U.S. government, academia and the American public representing the official policies and interests of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Artsakh.
Armenian Genocide Observance on Capitol Hill
Remarks by the NKR Representative to the United States Vardan Barseghian
April 23, 2008
Ambassador Markarian,
Honorable Members of Congress,
Your Eminence,
Dear friends,
I would like to start by thanking the co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, Representatives Frank Pallone and Joe Knollenberg, for organizing this event in collaboration with the Armenian Embassy and all major Armenian-American organizations.
Both co-chairs deserve a special credit for their outstanding leadership on issues that are important to the Armenian-American community, to the United States, Armenia and Artsakh. We highly value the support of our many congressional friends on issues related to Artsakh’s security, freedom, and economic development. Thank you!
It is a great privilege to join you today, on behalf of the Government of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Artsakh, as we honor the sacred memory of innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide. For all those gathered here and for all those who spoke and will speak today, it is a solemn duty to be here, to remember, reflect and seek justice, speaking on behalf of those who were silenced by their cold-blooded killers in 1915-1923 throughout historic Armenia, including its eastern-most province of Artsakh.
Tomorrow, tens of thousands will lay flowers at the Genocide Memorial in Artsakh. They will remember the victims of the Armenian Genocide, among which are over 20,000 Armenians brutally killed in Shushi, Nagorno Karabakh, in March of 1920. They will also wow, once again, not to allow the repeat of those horrible events.
Some, who are less familiar with our part of the world and whom we try to educate about the urgency of recognizing the crimes of the past, would say that we should not be concerned about a new genocide. Some are prepared to argue that the modern-day Turkey is not a threat to Armenia and Artsakh. But only 15 years ago, Turkey supported Azerbaijan as the latter waged a war trying to kill or expel the entire Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh.
Unfortunately the threat of genocide is an ever present one. Azerbaijan continues to threaten Nagorno Karabakh with a new war because we insist on our right to live in freedom. Last month, Azerbaijan went beyond verbal threats and breached the cease-fire regime by attacking our defense positions along the Line of Contact. When Azerbaijan refused the OSCE mediation to withdraw, Karabakh’s Army responded in kind, recovering the defense post and inflicting losses to the enemy. The threat of a new war by Azerbaijan, whose army is trained by Turkish instructors, remains real.
Nagorno Karabakh will continue reinforcing its defense capabilities to be up to the task, but we would like to see our friends on Capitol Hill and those who want to see a stable and peaceful South Caucasus to send a clear signal to Azerbaijan that a new war would not be tolerated. In this regard we support the proposed elimination of U.S. military assistance to Azerbaijan until the latter ceases all hostile actions, including threats to use force, against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
U.S. economic assistance continues to play a critical role in rebuilding Karabakh’s economy. To build on success of these programs, we ask that the U.S. Congress continue allocating funds for humanitarian and development programs to ensure that all parts of the South Caucasus have an opportunity for economic and political progress.
The Nagorno Karabakh Republic is a functioning democracy. It effectively controls its territory and enjoys the trust of its citizens. NKR conducts an independent foreign policy and has the capacity to build and maintain international contacts with governments and intergovernmental organizations.
It is time for the United States and the rest of the international community to embrace this new democracy by expanding dialogue on all levels, including on government-to-government level. We hope the U.S. Congress will continue its leading role in charting a new format for relations with Nagorno Karabakh that looks beyond conflict resolution to collaboration on issues of security, democracy and economic development.
One might ask: How are these issues related to the Armenian Genocide recognition? They are related for one simple reason – the existence of the Nagorno Karabakh problem today is the direct result of the 1915-1923 Armenian Genocide. Weakened by mass killings, deportations and widespread devastation inflicted by the Ottoman Turks, Armenia was not able to hold on to its historic province of Artsakh and eventually gave in to the Soviet pressure to include it within administrative borders of Azerbaijan. That was in 1921.
But, the consequences of the Armenian Genocide, including that particular decision by the Soviets, continue affecting our lives today, over 90 years later.
Therefore, by supporting Nagorno Karabakh economically and politically our friends on Capitol Hill indirectly also acknowledge that in parallel to our common efforts to make this world genocide-free, we also need to deal with consequences of past crimes and to support those who still struggle for freedom and justice.
Those who recognize the need to speak about Armenian Genocide, other crimes against humanity, genocides in the making, ordinary citizens and their elected representatives, help the cause of justice.
Last year, all of us had great hopes that the truth will prevail, that the justice will be done on the Capitol Hill and that the House Resolution 106 would pass. And we remain hopeful. Needless to say that on many issues the world looks at the U.S. for leadership. Recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the United States will send a powerful warning signal to those who plan genocidal campaigns that the truth will prevail, that criminal actions will be named for what they are and that perpetrators will be condemned and will bear responsibility.
Today, as we pay tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide, as we honor the survivors, we must also remain focused on doing all we can to prevent any genocide in the future. Thank you!
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This material is distributed by the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the USA (NKR Office) on behalf of the Government of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The NKR Office is registered with the U.S. Government under the Foreign Agent Registration Act. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
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