IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 697 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting visits and 

communication between the United States and the Republic of Artsakh 

at all levels of civil society and government. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 17, 2018 

Mr. PALLONE submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting visits and communication between the United 

States and the Republic of Artsakh at all levels of civil 

society and government. 

Whereas peace, stability, and democracy in the Caucasus region are in the political, security, and economic interests 

of the United States and are matters of international 

concern; 

Whereas the United States considers any effort to determine 

the future of the Republic of Artsakh, formerly the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, by other than peaceful 

means, including acts of aggression, blockades, or threats 

against civil aviation, a threat to peace; 


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•HRES 697 IH 

Whereas the United States remains committed to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) 

Minsk Group negotiations toward a durable and democratic resolution of outstanding status and security issues 

related to the Artsakh Republic; 

Whereas the Artsakh Republic was one of three parties to the 

1994 cease-fire that ended major military hostilities between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, and remains committed to 

a negotiated, non-violent resolution; 

Whereas the Artsakh Republic took part in OSCE negotiations until 1998, when, at Azerbaijan’s insistence, the 

OSCE blocked its democratically elected representatives 

from full and direct participation in negotiations regarding its future status and security; 

Whereas the Artsakh Republic has developed democratic institutions, fostered a pluralist political system, and, over 

the past quarter century, held parliamentary and Presidential elections that have been rated as free and fair by 

international observers; 

Whereas the Artsakh Republic, along with the United States, 

Armenia, and the OSCE, support cease-fire monitoring 

proposals to strengthen the 1994 cease-fire, including— 

(1) an agreement from all sides to not deploy snipers, heavy arms, or new weaponry along the line of contact; 

(2) the placement of OSCE-monitored, advanced 

gunfire-locator systems and sound-ranging equipment to 

determine the source of attacks along the line of contact; 

and 

(3) the deployment of additional OSCE observers 

along the line of contact to better monitor the cease-fire; 


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•HRES 697 IH 

Whereas the United States since fiscal year 1998 has provided over $45 million to the victims of the Artsakh-Azerbaijan conflict, including projects to deliver maternal 

healthcare, provide clean drinking water, and clear minefields in Artsakh, with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson 

stating that the United States remains ‘‘focused on completing demining as quickly and as thoroughly as possible’’; 

Whereas current Department of State policies and practices 

place self-imposed restrictions on travel and communications between the United States and Artsakh, limiting 

oversight of United States taxpayer-funded assistance 

programs and discouraging the open dialogue and discourse that can contribute to a peaceful resolution of 

Artsakh-related status and security issues; and 

Whereas open dialogue and communications contribute to 

greater international understanding and facilitate more 

effective conflict resolution: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) affirms its commitment to supporting ac3 tions that encourage visits and communication be4 tween officials from the United States and Artsakh 

5 at all levels, including cabinet-level national security 

6 officials, general officers, and other executive branch 

7 officials, to travel to Artsakh and openly and directly 

8 communicate with their Artsakh counterparts; 

9 (2) encourages open communication, meetings, 

10 and other direct contacts between officials of 

11 Artsakh and the executive and legislative branches 


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•HRES 697 IH 

1 of the United States, representatives of State and 

2 local governments, and representatives of American 

3 civil society; and 

4 (3) calls for the full and direct participation of 

5 the democratically elected Government of the Repub6 lic of Artsakh in all OSCE and other negotiations 

7 regarding its future. 

Æ 


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