The Sixth US State to Recognize the Artsakh Independence
Last week, the Georgia State House adopted legislation recognizing the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and calling upon the international community “to give appropriate recognition to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as a free, independent, and sovereign democracy.” The draft Resolution No. 1580 initiative to present to the House of Representatives was spearheaded by Representatives Pat Gardner (D-Atlanta) and Demetrius Douglas (D-Stockbridge). Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers of the H.R. voted in favor of the draft.
The US State of Georgia is the 6th state to recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh after California, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The H.R. resolution No 1580 on Honoring and recognizing the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; and for other purposes, whereas, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic declared its independence on December 10, 1991, after a long struggle that in some respects continues to this day, and the persistent demand for self-determination was an inspiration to people of many nationalities in the region, becoming one of the catalysts for the breakup of the former Soviet Union, WHEREAS, through the course of the last two decades, the people of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic have shown tenacity and perseverance in the face of war, massacres, economic deprivation, and other tremendous hardships; and WHEREAS, for more than 20 years, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has stayed true and faithful to its citizens by remaining independent while working to bring change and stability to the Caucasus region and by holding free and fair elections and referendums that were widely declared as a model for the region; and WHEREAS, international observers, including the United States, have assessed the May 3, 2015, Parliamentary Elections in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as free and transparent. now, therefore, be it resolved by the house of representatives that the members of this body honor the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and its citizens; and encourage the international community to give appropriate recognition to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as a free, independent, and sovereign democracy.
Press Secretary of the President of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic David Babayan, in his interview to Tert.am, referring to the fact of the recognition of the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh by the US State of Georgia, noted that it was one more great victory, “This is really a great achievement that one of the unique state of the United States, which is one of the founding states of the US, recognizes the Republic of Artsakh.” According to D. Babayan, “Unlike our opponents, we do not spend money, we have reached this success by the millions of money spent on the propaganda by our opponents, the pressure and other forms of manifestation. State institutions of Georgia and the will, also the adherence to principle is also extremely important. We thank both the authorities and the people of the state of Georgia for displaying brotherhood and humaneness by recognizing our republic.”
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Not-recognized but already distinctly sovereign
Although the 6th US state recognized the independence of NKR, however, the OSCE Minsk Group US Co-Chair James Warlick responded in his Twitter microblog as follows: “The decisions by the state legislators on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement are not binding and is not necessarily to reflect the US foreign policy.”
US foreign policy in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement as well as the foreign policy of other OSCE Minsk Group countries: France and Russia, is known. As intermediary countries dealing with the conflict settlement, they seek to create favorable conditions for the parties so that Armenia and Azerbaijan would reach a peaceful settlement with concessions. It is in this context that Warlick considered it necessary to respond to the adoption of the resolution by the H.R. of the State of Georgia.
But the United States has proved with its politics that Nagorno-Karabakh although unrecognized but nonetheless is considered a unit displaying a certain degree of autonomy in the Caucasus region. The US has invited the leadership of NKR and gave an impressive reception. It’s worth also reminding that, for example, the in 1998-2015, the whole American aid to Stepanakert amounted to 44.5 million dollars.
Equally important are the processes that occur in recent months in the United States against the Aliyev regime. Given the importance of energy in Azerbaijan, however, the West, when necessary, strongly criticizes and presents demands to the Azerbaijani authorities. And despite the money, which Aliyev’s government is spending to prevent the processes against Azerbaijan, however, the nature of the Aliyev regime is no longer clear for everyone.
In these days, the draft law on possible sanctions against Azerbaijan collects supporters. As reported recently by “Liberty” RFE/RL, the Washington correspondent of the Azerbaijani “Turan” news agency had informed that four congressmen, including the author of the well-known Magnitsky bill, Jim McGovern, have joined the “Azerbaijan Democracy Act” bill, which provides defining individual sanctions against the Azerbaijani officials who participated in the political persecution of journalists, activists and representatives of opposition and religious groups. Note that the bill was put into circulation by an influential Republican Congressman from New Jersey, Christopher Smith, who in the interview with “Turan”, stated that he and his colleagues are very serious about this bill, “We are trying to get President Aliyev to realize that the course he and his government have chosen to repress individuals, journalists, opposition folks, does not end well.” Smith also urged the OSCE leadership and the U.S. government to raise the issues of political prisoners and lack of media freedom in Azerbaijan during their discussions with the Azeri government, and with President Ilham Aliyev personally.
Kentucky Senate rejected Azerbaijani lobby’s anti-Armenian resolution
During Aliyev’s upcoming visit to the US scheduled for the end of March, perhaps, important meetings and negotiations will take place, the results of which will show the future of the Azerbaijani-US relations, and these relations are saliently tense in the last 1-2 years.
On March 7, another remarkable information was received, the Senate of the US State of Kentucky rejected the anti-Armenian resolution initiated by the Azerbaijani lobby and presented to the legislators for consideration. According to Resolution No 168 of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), which distorts the essence of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and creates a misunderstanding about it, failed in the Senate. Thus, Kentucky joined Idaho, New Hampshire, and other states, which earlier have rejected similar pro- Azerbaijani resolutions. “Our experience in Kentucky proved once again that the democratic processes are functioning, and our state legislators will not tolerate foreign interference and the attempt of forming a misunderstanding that protects the interests of such a dictator as Ilham Aliyev who oppresses his own people and conduct aggressive activities against Armenia and Artsakh by jeopardizing the instable peace in the region,” said the Head of Public Relations of ANCA Eastern wing, Arthur Martirosyan.
Such steps, of course, are not a lesson for the Aliyev regime, the Baku politics against Armenia and Artsakh is becoming more daring, Azerbaijan spends more money on dissemination of Azerbaijani fallacy and anti-Armenian resolutions. Anyway, it seems to be obvious to everyone that Aliyev with his long-standing politics, anti-Armenian and war consistent propaganda, has proved one irrefutable fact that today Azerbaijan is just unable to coexist with Artsakh in peace.
EMMA GABRIELYAN
“Aravot” daily
