12-R278

2012 -- H 8180

Enacted 05/17/12

 

 

H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

SUPPORTING THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC'S EFFORTS TO DEVELOP AS A

FREE AND INDEPENDENT NATION

     

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Fox, Mattiello, Corvese, McNamara, and Bennett

     Date Introduced: May 17, 2012

 

     

 

     WHEREAS, The Region of Artsakh, also known as Mountainous Karabagh, is located in

the Transcaucasus and has historically been Armenian territory, populated by an overwhelming

majority of Armenians; and

     WHEREAS, In 1923, the communist dictatorship of Joseph Stalin, in violation of the

national, territorial, and human rights of the Armenian people, annexed part of the region of

Artsakh which was composed of a 95 percent Armenian population, and joined it with the region

of Soviet Azerbaijan; and

     WHEREAS, For decades, Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, having arbitrarily been

severed from Armenia and forced under Soviet Azerbaijani administration, peacefully

demonstrated for national independence and individual freedom and against Soviet Azerbaijani

repression and discrimination; and

     WHEREAS, In the years immediately preceding the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s

declaration of independence, these peaceful demonstrations were met with acts of violent

repression by Soviet Azerbaijani forces who refused to allow the reestablishment of the people of

Nagorno-Karabakh’s national independence; and

     WHEREAS, During the repressive and violent events leading to the birth of the Nagorno-

Karabakh Republic, ethnic Armenians were killed in Sumgait (February, 1988), Kirovabad

(November, 1988), and Baku (January, 1990), by Soviet Azerbaijani forces.  Over 350,000

Armenians were forcibly deported from Azerbaijan; and

     WHEREAS, In July of 1988, within months of the Sumgait tragedy, the United States

Senate unanimously passed Amendment 2690 to the Fiscal Year 1989 Foreign Operations

Appropriations bill (H.R. 4782), concerning the Karabakh conflict and calling on the Soviet

government to "respect the legitimate aspirations of the Armenian people ..." and noted that

"dozens of Armenians have been killed and hundreds injured during the recent unrests ..."; and

     WHEREAS, The Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh would not be deterred and would not

allow their dream of national independence, and their inherent desire for individual freedom, to

be destroyed by violence and repression; and

     WHEREAS, On December 10th of 1991, despite continued violence against the people of

Nagorno-Karabakh, a popular referendum proclaiming the republic took place in Nagorno-

Karabakh during the process of the Soviet Union disintegration; and  

     WHEREAS, Under the watchful eye of more than 50 international observers and in full

compliance with international standards for free and fair elections, more than 80 percent of the

eligible voters in Nagorno-Karabakh cast a ballot. Ninety-eight percent of those casting ballots

overwhelmingly chose national independence and individual freedom, thereby choosing the path

of democracy after decades of communist control; and

     WHEREAS, The population of Nagorno-Karabakh then held free, democratic, and direct

elections for its parliament; and

     WHEREAS, On January 6th of 1992, the first-ever freely elected Parliament of Nagorno-

Karabakh adopted a Declaration of Independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; and

     WHEREAS, From the earliest days of its formation, the Republic’s freely elected

governmental bodies have continuously striven to build an open and democratic society through

free and transparent elections, affirmed by international observers; and

     WHEREAS, Since signing a cease-fire agreement with Azerbaijan in 1994, after three

years of armed conflict, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic registered significant progress in post-

war humanitarian and economic development; and

     WHEREAS, Despite the 1994 cease-fire agreement, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s

security and sovereignty continue to be threatened by regional tension and hostile acts; now,

therefore be it  

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby encourages the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s continuing efforts

to develop as a free and independent nation in order to guarantee its citizens those rights inherent

in a free and independent society; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House hereby supports the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s

continued constructive involvement with the international community and its efforts to reach a

lasting solution to the existing regional problems, and to establish peace and stability in the

strategically important region of South Caucasus; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House hereby respectfully urges the President and Congress of

the United States of America to recognize the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

and to encourage nations neighboring the Republic to foster and maintain peaceful relations with

the people of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.  We furthermore urge our country’s leaders to

continue promoting humanitarian and economic rehabilitation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

and to fully support its continuing development of a free and democratic society, with all the

social, economic, and political advantages that such a free and democratic society brings to its

citizens; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House hereby memorializes the United States of America to

support strengthening and solidifying our country’s relationship with the Nagorno-Karabakh

Republic and its citizens, both culturally and economically, to insure the continued survival of

this nation’s burgeoning growth of freedom and democracy; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the President of the United States and to Rhode

Island’s Congressional Delegation.

     

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LC02637

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