YEREVAN. – Armenia welcomes the US State of California State Assembly decision to recognize the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), Armenia Foreign Affairs Minister Edward Nalbandian told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“The more Azerbaijan continues to impede Armenia’s and the [OSCE Minsk Group] triple co-chairs’ efforts to settle the Karabakh issue, that much more new similar decisions and resolutions can be expected, which will pave the way for the exercising of the Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] people’s right to self-determination, for the international recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic,” Nalbandian added.  

On Thursday the California State Assembly, by a vote of 70-1, recognized the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, encouraging and supporting NKR’s continuing efforts to develop as a free and independent nation.

As a result, California has joined the US States of Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, and Louisiana, which already have recognized Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence.