PRESS RELEASE
September 17, 2008
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: armecon@speakeasy.net; Web: www.armeniaemb.org
Celebration of Nagorno Karabagh’s Independence Anniversary on Capitol Hill
On September 17, 2008 the 17th anniversary of independence of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic was celebrated on Capitol Hill. The event was co-sponsored and organized by the Co-Chairmen of the US Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in the United States, the Office of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic in the United States, as well as the leading Armenian-American organizations. Members of US congress, diplomats, human rights activists, religious leaders, experts, congressional staff members, Armenian-American community members, and local and international media representatives attended the event.
Members of the US Congress, the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia, NKR Representative to the United States, prominent US as well as other officials addressed the audience and expressed their support for the cause of Nagorno Karabagh and its people.
In his remarks, the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia Tatoul Markarian reiterated Armenia’s commitment to peaceful solution of Nagorno Karabagh conflict within the framework of OSCE Minsk Group. He stressed that the key to a lasting solution to the conflict is the international recognition of Nagorno Karabagh’s people’s right to self determination given the presence of all necessary preconditions to that end. Particularly the Ambassador of Armenia mentioned that since 1991 Nagorno Karabagh has endured as a democratic and independent state, and it conforms to all definitions of a modern independent state.
The participants also had a chance to watch a new documentary on Nagorno Karabagh tilted “Artsakh: the Struggle for Freedom” produced by Los-Angeles based journalist Peter Musurlian. The film is an impressive combination of interviews, narration and video footage that eloquently present Nagorno Karabagh’s history.
