As of October 1, 2020, 11 states and many cities in the United States recognized the independence of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh Republic), including the largest state of the United States – California and one of the largest cities in the United States – Los Angeles, by adopting the relevant Resolutions in support of the rights of the people of Artsakh to self-determination.
International recognition of its independence is one of the key priorities of the foreign policy of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh Republic). The people of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic expressed their determination to build and strengthen their statehood based on democratic norms twice; in the independence referendum on December 10, 1991 and the constitutional referendums on December 10, 2006 and February 20, 2017.
The successes registered in the state-building process led to certain positive developments in the process of international recognition of the NKR independence.
Let’s list the states and cities of the United States that recognized the independence of Artsakh
- On May 17, 2012, the resolution of the House of Representatives of the US state of Rhode Island;
- On August 6, 2012, the resolution of the House of Representatives of the US Commonwealth of Massachusetts;
- On April 10, 2013, the resolution of the House of Representatives of the US state of Maine;
- On May 30, 2013, the resolution of the Senate of the US State of Louisiana;
- On May 8 and August 27, 2014, the joint resolution of the Senate and the Assembly of the US State of California;
- On September 12, 2014, the resolution of the Parliament of the Basque Country;
- On March 3, 2016, the resolution of the House of Representatives of the US state of Georgia;
- On March 29, 2016, the resolution of the House of Representatives of the US state of Hawaii;
- On September 28, 2017, the resolution of the Senate of the US state of Michigan;
- On April 24, 2019, the resolution of the Senate of the US state of Minnesota;
- On April 25, 2019, the resolution of the House of Representatives of the US state of Colorado.
Similar resolutions were also adopted by the following cities:
- On April 23, 2013, Fresno (US, California);
- On September 10, 2013, Los Angeles (US, California);
- On November 5, 2013, Highland (US, California);
- On April 20, 2016, Honolulu (US, Hawaii).
On May 11, 1999, the European Parliament adopted a resolution which stated that Nagorno-Karabakh declared its independence immediately after the similar declarations by Soviet Republics.
The international recognition of Artsakh along with being an additional stimulus for the further development and strengthening of the statehood of Artsakh and, in particular, its democratic institutions, will also have a positive impact on the settlement of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh.
Today, the delay in international recognition of the NKR only adds to the Azerbaijan’s temptation to solve the conflict by military means, the proof of which was the large-scale aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against the NKR on April 2-5 2016.
And the war, started on September 27, 2020 by Azerbaijan with the direct support of Turkey, confirms the criminal designs of two genocidal states – the Republic of Turkey and its satellite – the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The war has been going on for more than 3 weeks,
The international recognition of the NKR will be an effective lever to eliminate the possibility of a new Azerbaijani aggression.
The international recognition will assure the irreversibility of the peaceful settlement process and will make it possible to focus on the creation of necessary mechanisms and conditions for peaceful coexistence of two sovereign states – the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan, established as a result of the collapse of the USSR and the war forced by Azerbaijan.
