Calling for an end to escalating violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, for each side to return to the peace process, and for external parties to cease their support for and interference in the conflict.

Bill: 116-hres-1196
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]
Introduced: 2020-10-16
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Armenia

Asia

Azerbaijan

Conflicts and wars

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Europe

Foreign aid and international relief

Human rights

International law and treaties

International organizations and cooperation

Military assistance, sales, and agreements

Military operations and strategy

Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status

Turkey
Latest action: action_date: 2020-11-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy and the Environment.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-10-16
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This resolution calls on leaders in Azerbaijan and Armenia to de-escalate the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed region also known as Artsakh, and urges external parties to refrain from participation in the conflict. The resolution reaffirms U.S. support for efforts to secure an agreement to cease military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh.</p>

tv_txt: IV 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1196 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 16, 2020 Mr. Keating submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Calling for an end to escalating violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, for each side to return to the peace process, and for external parties to cease their support for and interference in the conflict.

Whereas, on September 27, 2020, the most significant outbreak of violence since the signing of the 1994 cease-fire agreement began across the line of contact in Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces; Whereas military operations by each side have included the exchange of air strikes, rocket attacks, and artillery fire, resulting in the deaths of soldiers and civilians, the wounding of hundreds more, and causing needless suffering to families and communities in the conflict zone; Whereas both Armenia and Azerbaijan have declared martial law, mobilized their armed forces, and called up reserve forces, further escalating tensions; Whereas the conflict has the potential to escalate into proxy warfare among regional powers, including Turkey and Russia, which would further entrench the conflict, increase risk of civilian harm, and threaten long-term peace and stability in the region; Whereas Russia maintains close economic ties to both Armenia and Azerbaijan and provides weapons, other support, and military guarantees to Armenia, which is a member of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO); Whereas the United States serves as a neutral co-chair of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, along with France and Russia, and the Presidents of the Co-Chair countries have urged the parties to return to a ceasefire and substantive negotiations as soon as possible; Whereas the United States remains committed to working with each side through the OSCE Minsk Group to settle the conflict peacefully and sustainably; Whereas both Azerbaijan and Armenia are North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Partnership for Peace countries, which made a commitment to increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and build strengthened security relationships among NATO and non-member countries in the Euro-Atlantic area; and Whereas a long-standing conflict like the one between Armenia and Azerbaijan must be solved through a political process rather than military aggression: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) expresses alarm at the escalating violence that has resulted in the tragic loss of life in Nagorno-Karabakh; (2) calls on leaders in Armenia and Azerbaijan to immediately de-escalate the situation, end hostilities, utilize the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group process instead of military means and return to the cease-fire agreement along the line of contact between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, and protect the human rights of those in the area in order to prevent even further loss of life; (3) calls on each country to renew its commitment to the OSCE Minsk Group process and recognize that dialogue, not violence, is the only way to bring a comprehensive and enduring peace to the region; (4) reaffirms United States support for OSCE Minsk Group efforts to secure an agreement from Armenia and Azerbaijan to cease offensive military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh and to accept independent third-party monitoring along the line of contact; and (5) calls on all external parties to refrain from providing military and other support to either side, which merely inflames hostilities and further jeopardizes regional peace and stability, including the recent destabilizing rhetoric of President Tayyip Erdoğan and the Turkish military.