WASHINGTON – Earlier this week, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations, met with Armenian President Armen Sarkissian at a National Committee of America (ANCA) Congressional Celebration of a Century of U.S.-Armenian Relations.
“I was proud to welcome President Armen Sarkissian to the United States Senate. The United States and Armenia have a strong bond based on shared values and a commitment to the democratic process. In recent months, the people of Armenia impressed the entire world with peaceful protests calling for the democratic, accountable government that they deserve. This is a powerful and inspiring example of citizens making their voices heard. Armenia’s peace and prosperity is not ultimately tied to one person or party, but to efforts by a diverse group of Armenian citizens to work together, hold each other accountable, and build the democratic institutions that they wish to see.
“I am also proud to stand in solidarity with the people of Armenia as it continues to face challenges to stability across the region. Turkish aggression from the Eastern Mediterranean to northern Syria, is unacceptable. And the bellicose behavior we continue to see from Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh must stop. The Kremlin has made no secret of its agenda to undermine democracies across the world, and we must work together to counter such malign Russian influence in Armenia. I want to thank the President for his visit and his efforts to further strengthen the ties between us.”
A Congressional champion for U.S.-Armenian relations, Menendez introduced Senate Resolution 136 in the 115th Congress commemorating the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and calling for a foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide.
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