24 Armenian Caucus Members Urge Direct, Proactive American Engagement in South Caucasus Peace Negotiations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), David Valadao (CA-22), and Brad Sherman (CA-32) and 21 additional bipartisan members sent a letter today to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz requesting strong American engagement in the ongoing peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The United States has the potential to help secure an historic deal for this decades long conflict, and the letter encourages the Trump Administration to take additional steps to achieve this goal.

“We welcome recent efforts to ensure a negotiated and peaceful settlement of this long-standing conflict. We also strongly agree with Secretary Rubio’s statement that “now is the time to commit to peace” in the South Caucasus and NSA Waltz’s call to “finalize this peace deal now, release the prisoners, and work together to make the region more secure and prosperous.” To ensure a sustainable peace, the U.S. must play a pivotal role in preventing any additional barriers to the signing of a formal document between the two sides.”

“As Armenia seeks to reduce its dependence on Russia and pivot toward the West, securing a lasting peace in the South Caucasus is a national security imperative and directly in line with President Trump’s global peace initiatives. Considering Azerbaijan’s ongoing threats toward Armenia and the risk this poses to a fragile peace process, we believe the United States has a responsibility to pursue important confidence and security-building measures.”

The full list of cosigners includes: Representatives Pallone (NJ-06), Valadao (CA-22), Sherman (CA-32), Bilirakis (FL-12), Amo (RI-01), Chu (CA-28), Costa (CA-21), Friedman (CA-30), Gottheimer (NJ-05), Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Lawler (NY-17), S. Lee (NV-03), Lofgren (CA-19), Magaziner (RI-02), McGovern (MA-03), Min (CA-47), Mullin (CA-15), Norton (DC-AL), Omar (MN-05), (Pingree (ME-01), Sánchez (CA-38), Schakowsky (IL-09), Schneider (IL-10), Stevens (MI-11), Trahan (MA-03).