Congressional Armenian Caucus congratulates Artsakh independenceSeptember 5, 2018 - 17:12 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Congressional Armenian Caucus leaders commended the Republic of Artsakh’s “commitment to advance democratic governance and to the will of your people,” restating their bipartisan support for Artsakh’s full participation in Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group-led peace talk, as the Republic celebrated 27 years of independence, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). “The ANCA joins Congressional Armenian Caucus leaders in celebrating 27-years of Artsakh independence, extending our congratulations to the people of Artsakh for their ongoing commitment to the democracy, prosperity, and security of their Republic,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We continue to work closely with U.S. federal, state and local leaders to strengthen Artsakh security through the implementation of Royce-Engel peace proposals, expanded U.S. assistance for de-mining and healthcare, and the removal of barriers to U.S.-Artsakh travel and communication.” In their September 2nd letter to Republic of Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan, Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Jackie Speier (D-CA), David Trott (R-MI) and David Valadao (R-CA) and Vice-Chairs Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) cited the “important progress Artsakh has made in the areas of human rights, strengthening the rule of law and increasing transparency through government reforms.” They reiterated the importance of Artsakh’s direct participation in OSCE Minsk Group negotiations, noting, “In order to ensure a durable and democratic resolution to the regional issues your country currently faces, we believe that Artsakh must be allowed to directly participate in negotiations regarding its future status and security.” Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |