Title: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting the Republic of Artsakh at all levels of civil society and government and recognizing the people of Artsakh's inalienable right to self-determination.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution condemns the military offensive launched by Azerbaijani and Turkish-backed forces on Artsakh and calls on all involved parties to honor cease-fire negotiations.
In addition, the resolution
(Artsakh is officially recognized as a part of Azerbaijan.)

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1203 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1203

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting the 
 Republic of Artsakh at all levels of civil society and government and 
     recognizing the people of Artsakh's inalienable right to self-
                             determination.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 23, 2020

 Mr. Pallone (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Schiff, Ms. Speier, Mr. 
  McGovern, Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Costa, Mrs. 
  Napolitano, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. 
   Sherman, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Sires, Ms. 
Brownley of California, Ms. Sanchez, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Espaillat, 
Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Khanna, Ms. Lofgren, Ms. 
Titus, Ms. Meng, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, 
 Ms. Bass, and Mr. Langevin) submitted the following resolution; which 
            was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting the 
 Republic of Artsakh at all levels of civil society and government and 
     recognizing the people of Artsakh's inalienable right to self-
                             determination.

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;
Whereas the United States remains committed to the negotiations under the 
        auspices of the Co-Chairs of 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 
        Azerbaijan blocked its democratically elected representatives from full 
        and direct participation in negotiations regarding its future status and 
        security;
Whereas, in response to Azerbaijan aggression against the Armenian people during 
        the 1990s, the United States Congress adopted section 907 of the Freedom 
        Support Act, which states: ``United States assistance under this or any 
        other Act (other than assistance under title V of this Act) may not be 
        provided to the Government of Azerbaijan until the President determines, 
        and so reports to the Congress, that the Government of Azerbaijan is 
        taking demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive 
        uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh'';
Whereas Azerbaijan, aided by Turkish forces and military supplies, launched a 
        large-scale military offensive against the Line-of-Contact separating 
        Artsakh and Azerbaijan on September 27, 2020, that was in clear 
        violation of the 1994 cease-fire;
Whereas Turkish-supported mercenaries were recruited specifically for the 
        purposes of fighting on behalf Azerbaijan in the September 27, 2020, 
        outbreak of violence, and Turkish F-16 fighter jets are suspected of 
        aiding the indiscriminate bombing of large civilian population centers 
        like Stepanakert and Shoushi that have endangered the lives of thousands 
        of innocent civilians and displaced thousands more;
Whereas the September 27, 2020, military offensive by Azerbaijan represents its 
        third large-scale attack on Artsakh since the signing of the 1994 cease-
        fire, and the bombastic rhetoric from Turkish President Erdogan and 
        Azerbaijani President Aliyev has clearly shown they do not desire a 
        peaceful outcome of the conflict that results in ethnic Armenians 
        remaining in the Karabakh region;
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, despite the constant threat of 
        military incursion by Azerbaijani forces;
Whereas international recognition of a country's right to self-determination is 
        the only way to ensure its people will be able to voice their legitimate 
        concerns and lobby for the peaceful settlement of conflicts on the world 
        stage;
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;

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
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns the September 27, 2020, military offensive 
        launched by Azerbaijani and Turkish-backed forces on Artsakh;
            (2) calls upon all parties involved in the conflict to 
        withdraw to the initial positions as of September 27, 2020, to 
        honor any negotiated cease-fire, to halt any attacks on 
        civilian populations, and allow unfettered access for 
        humanitarian and emergency aid to civilians in need of such 
        assistance;
            (3) urges the President of the United States to follow the 
        congressional intent of section 907 of the Freedom Support Act 
        and withhold any further assistance to Azerbaijan until they 
        end military operations against Artsakh;
            (4) affirms that the only peaceful, long-lasting resolution 
        to this conflict will come from international recognition of 
        the Republic of Artsakh;
            (5) upholds its commitment to supporting actions that 
        encourage visits and communication between officials from the 
        United States and Artsakh at all levels, including cabinet-
        level national security officials, general officers, and other 
        executive branch officials, to travel to Artsakh and openly and 
        directly communicate with their Artsakh counterparts;
            (6) encourages open communication, meetings, and other 
        direct contacts between officials of Artsakh and the executive 
        and legislative branches of the United States Government, 
        representatives of State and local governments, and 
        representatives of American civil society; and
            (7) calls for the full and direct participation of the 
        democratically elected Government of the Republic of Artsakh in 
        all OSCE and other negotiations regarding its future.
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