ANCA Congratulates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

Sets Forth Expectations for Biden-Harris Administration

November 8, 2020

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) congratulated Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their victory, welcoming the election of two leaders with records of support for Armenian American policy priorities, and clearly setting forth expectations for the next four years of Biden-Harris leadership:

— With regard to the current crisis, we expect President Joe Biden to honor his statements against Azerbaijan’s attack on Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), including “to stop the advance of Azerbaijani troops into Nagorno-Karabakh,” to “fully implement and not waive requirements under section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, to stop the flow of military equipment to Azerbaijan, and call on Turkey and Russia to stop fueling the conflict with the supply of weapons and, in the case of Turkey, mercenaries.”

— In terms of broader Artsakh policy, we encourage his Administration to promptly recognize the independence of the Artsakh Republic, end all U.S. military aid to Baku, fully enforce Section 907, and implement the Royce-Engel peace proposals (deploy gun-fire locators, add observers, and withdraw snipers). We ask him to support the Artsakh Republic’s full return to the OSCE peace process, remove obsolete restrictions on contacts between officials of the U.S. and Artsakh governments, and provide hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency humanitarian and development assistance to Artsakh.

— With regard to the Armenian Genocide, which Joe Biden long fought to recognize as a U.S. Senator, we look to him as President to officially condemn and annually commemorate the Armenian Genocide – ending all forms of U.S. complicity in Turkey’s denials, pressing Turkey to openly acknowledge its guilt and reckon with its responsibilities, and working toward a just and truthful international resolution of this crime.

— We look forward to supporting the leadership of President Joe Biden in expanding the U.S.-Armenia Strategic Partnership, prioritizing trade and investment promotion initiatives, trade missions, and other programs to expand mutually-beneficial commercial relations – including through a U.S.-Armenia Double Tax Treaty, Social Security Totalization Agreement, and Free Trade Agreement.

— We are hopeful that President Joe Biden will be the first sitting President to visit Armenia and that his Administration will invite Armenia’s Prime Minister and President to the White House on official state visits.

In each of these areas, we look forward to regular and robust Armenian American engagement with President-Elect Joe Biden, Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris and the Biden-Harris Administration.

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