IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 452 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the recent 

free and fair parliamentary elections and transfer of power in Armenia, 

reaffirming the critical importance of the United States-Armenia partnership, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 20, 2019 

Mr. PALLONE (for himself, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. KING of New 

York, and Mr. SCHIFF) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the recent free and fair parliamentary elections and 

transfer of power in Armenia, reaffirming the critical 

importance of the United States-Armenia partnership, 

and for other purposes. 

Whereas the United States formally recognized the independence of the Republic of Armenia almost a century ago on 

April 23, 1920, through a letter from Secretary of State 

Bainbridge Colby to the Representative of the Armenian 

Republic, Garegin Pasdermadjian, informing him of 

President Woodrow Wilson’s decision; 

Whereas the United States recognized the reestablishment of 

Armenia’s independence following seven decades of Soviet 


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•HRES 452 IH 

rule on December 25, 1991, when President George H.W. 

Bush announced this decision in an address regarding 

the dissolution of the Soviet Union; 

Whereas the people of the Republic of Armenia showed their 

commitment to democracy, anticorruption measures, and 

rule of law during their nonviolent ‘‘Velvet Revolution’’ 

between April and May of 2018, leading to the peaceful 

transfer of executive leadership; 

Whereas the Velvet Revolution culminated in the December 

9, 2018, national parliamentary elections that ‘‘were held 

with respect for fundamental freedoms and enjoyed broad 

public trust that needs to be preserved through further 

electoral reforms’’, according to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) election observation mission; 

Whereas the longstanding friendship of the American and Armenian peoples reinforced during decades of principled 

United States leadership for Armenian independence 

from Soviet tyranny, and expanded, in the years since 

Armenia’s reborn independence, through regional and 

international security cooperation, and mutually beneficial bilateral political, economic, military, democracy, 

and development partnerships; 

Whereas almost a century after the United States first formally recognized the independence of the Republic of Armenia the bilateral political, economic, and strategic partnership between the two countries continues to flourish; 

Whereas United States-Armenia ties are deeply rooted in 

shared democratic values, the United States enduring 

commitment to Armenia’s independence, and a common 

vision of regional peace and global security, as reflected 


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in Armenia’s membership in NATO’s Partnership for 

Peace and its record of deployments as part of United 

States-led peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, 

Lebanon, Kosovo, and Mali; 

Whereas President Donald Trump, in a September 21, 2018, 

message to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, 

stated, ‘‘We thank you for your steadfast partnership on 

many fronts, including contributing to NATO operations 

and showing great generosity in welcoming Syrian refugees’’; 

Whereas Armenia remains constructively engaged in the 

OSCE Minsk Group process, co-chaired by the United 

States, which seeks to strengthen the 1994 ceasefire 

agreement signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Nagorno 

Karabakh, and to facilitate a durable and democratic 

peace; 

Whereas Armenia’s aid-to-trade transition requires continued 

United States leadership on trade and investment promotion, upgraded engagement through the Economic 

Task Force and Trade and Investment Framework 

Agreement Council, and the exploration of mutually beneficial economic accords; and 

Whereas continued United States investment into initiatives 

that further government transparency, strengthen democratic institutions, and empower civil society in Armenia 

will only help to bolster the historic ties and friendship 

between the two countries: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) celebrates almost a century of United 

3 States-Armenia relations, the enduring friendship of 

4 the American and Armenian peoples, the strong 


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1 bonds between the two governments, and the many 

2 contributions Americans of Armenian heritage con3 tinue to make to the United States; 

4 (2) honors and congratulates the people of Ar5 menia on their peaceful and constitutional leadership 

6 transition and the December 9, 2018, democratic 

7 parliamentary elections broadly recognized as free 

8 and fair; and 

9 (3) calls for continued United States leadership 

10 in helping empower the Armenian people to solidify 

11 their progress by strengthening United States-Arme12 nia relations through bilateral visits, defense con13 sultations to draw Armenia closer to the United 

14 States, increased cooperation on international peace15 keeping operations, targeted trade and investment 

16 promotion, and support for political party develop17 ment, transparency, rule of law, civil society develop18 ment, and media freedom. 

Æ 


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