[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 697 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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;
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;

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
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) affirms 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;
            (2) encourages open communication, meetings, and other 
        direct contacts between officials of Artsakh and the executive 
        and legislative branches of the United States, representatives 
        of State and local governments, and representatives of American 
        civil society; and
            (3) 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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