Rep. Jim Costa Arrives in Armenia

U.S. House of Representatives Congressman Jim Costa visits Tsitsernakabert on Wednesday, July 20. (Photo: Parliament.am)

YEREVAN (Parliament.am)”” U.S. House of Representatives Congressman Jim Costa on Monday, July 18 arrived in Armenia for a four-day visit, meeting with Armenian lawmakers to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

On July 20, Costa visited Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex accompanied by Head of Armenia’s National Assembly (NA) Armenia-USA Friendship Group Samvel Nikoyan to pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Costa laid flowers at the eternal fire and honored in silence the memory of the saint martyrs.

He took a tour in the halls of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute and left a note in the Memory Book of Honorable Guests.

The same day, the Speaker of Armenia’s NA Galust Sahakyan received Congressman Costa. Welcoming the guest, Sahakyan underlined that the United States is one of Armenia’s most important counterparts and plays a key role in the political and economic life of Armenia.

U.S. Congressman Jim Costa and Armenian National Assembly Speaker Galust Sahakyan (Photo: Parliament.am)

Sahakyan underlined that parliamentary diplomacy is an important platform for the development of inner-state relations and noted that Armenia attaches great importance to the development of Armenian-American inter-parliamentary ties.

The Speaker assessed the effective activities of the U.S. House Committee on Armenian Issues and the members of which have always promoted the strengthening of relations between Armenia and the United States.

Touching upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Sahakyan emphasized the United States’ continuous efforts as a OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair country aimed at a peaceful settlement and provision of peace and stability in the region.

Regarding the Armenian Genocide, the Sahakyan thanked the Congressmen for his efforts through many years of voicing the necessity of its international recognition and expressed conviction that those efforts will certainly end with success.

Costa, thanking the Sahakyan for the reception, noted that visiting Armenia had been a dream of his. Regarding the issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide, Costa said “I, as member of the U.S. Congress Group on Armenian Issues, should take measures and efforts that the Armenian Genocide should be recognized and the genocides will not be repeated anymore.”