InternationalAn Armenian-American agenda for the 111th Congress
Published: Friday January 09, 2009
The 111th Congress of the United States was sworn in this week. Armenian-Americans are pleased to see in positions of leadership good friends like Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair John Kerry, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Howard Berman, and others.
As a community, we have high hopes that this Congress will embrace the extensive Armenian-American congressional agenda. We know that for this to happen, we must continue to advocate effectively and cultivate our relationships with members of Congress and their staff.
The Armenian Caucus
The main mechanism for implementing our agenda is the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues. Led by Rep. Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.) and Rep. Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.), the bipartisan caucus boasts over 140 members.
Armenian-American activists and advocacy groups will, of course, seek to build on this number by reaching out to and educating additional members of Congress, especially new members and members in districts with many Armenian-American residents.
At the same time, we should work with existing members and their staff to continue to educate them on issues of importance to us. The basic way to do so is for constituents to call, write, or visit. Beyond that, the Caucus can hold periodic briefings for members and their staff, with officials from the Obama administration or the government of Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh as guests. We would also encourage annual congressional visits to the South Caucasus.
Peace in the Caucasus
We want to believe that the rulers of Azerbaijan will act responsibly and, contrary to their explicit warnings, will avoid starting a new war over Karabakh. But we must face the fact that they are spending a huge sum of money on their armed forces, and specifically on arms designed for aggression.
While the cease-fire in Karabakh has mostly held for over 14 years, it would be irresponsible to forget that it could be broken anytime. Georgia's humiliating defeat after it launched an attack on South Ossetia serves to show that an attack on a separate enclave can be disastrous for the attacker; but it also goes to show that political leaders are perfectly capable of making the wrong choice.
Congress can and should do three things to help promote peace in the Caucasus.
First, the United States should seek a commitment from Azerbaijan to the nonuse of force and to a political resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. To this end, Congress should decline to allocate any funds to Azerbaijan's military, and in its exercise of oversight, it should ask the U.S. envoy what steps are being taken to discourage Azerbaijan from the use of force.
Second, Congress should provide leadership funding for confidence-building measures designed to reduce tension in the region and build trust among the parties, including Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Azerbaijan.
Third, members of Congress should enhance contacts with the elected government of Nagorno-Karabakh, through meetings and hearings in Washington as well as visits to Stepanakert. It should also encourage the Obama Administration to end any restrictions on official contacts between U.S. and Karabakh officials and allow U.S. assistance to be used for development as well as humanitarian projects. The point is to engage the people of the republic directly.
The Armenian Genocide
Congress should affirm the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide as part of a renewed commitment to preventing genocide. It should, of course, reject the gag rule the government of Turkey tries to impose on the U.S. Congress.
Turkey
Separately, Congress should maintain a nuanced approach to Turkey. Given its geographical position, and its status as a NATO ally and a moderate Muslim state, Turkey will remain important to the United States. For the relationship to grow and certainly for Turkey to be seen as any sort of model, Congress should insist that Turkey meet three criteria:
(1) It should improve its treatment of its minorities, including Kurds and Armenians. Issues such the confiscation of Armenian community properties and the willful neglect of Armenian historic and religious monuments need to be addressed. (2) It should improve relations with neighbors, establishing diplomatic relations with Armenia and opening the illegally closed land border. (3) It should remove impediments to free speech about uncomfortable subjects. These are all basic values the United States espouses.
Appropriations
U.S. aid has had a significant positive impact on the development of civil society, the rule of law, and democratic institutions in Armenia. Such capacity building remains crucial today.
Meanwhile, the war between Georgia and Russia inflicted a great deal of economic damage on Armenia. While significant aid has been allocated to Georgia in the aftermath of the war, no additional funds have gone to Armenia.
Thus, we believe that Congress should be generous with aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. With limited funds, we would encourage investment in democracy and good-governance programs.
Millennium Challenge funds
The Millennium Challenge Compact signed with Armenia in early 2006 is having a double impact. On the one hand, it is repairing infrastructure and helping reduce poverty. On the other hand, because the grant is conditional, it encourages the government to proceed with economic reforms and rule justly.
