September 28, the U.S. Congress celebrated the Day of independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. The event was organized on the initiative of U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone.

In his speech, the congressman stressed that during his visits to Nagorno-Karabakh, he was convinced that the republic is developing in a democratic way. Afterwards, the NKR Parliament Speaker Ashot Gulian stressed that such a welcome from the U.S. is not a surprise to the people of Karabakh. “The United States in the years of the Soviet Union linked the solution of the Karabakh conflict with the people’s right to self-determination and urged the Soviet authorities to refrain from violence. Today, the U.S. annually provides humanitarian assistance to Artsakh, which shows Washington’s approach to the issues of freedom and honor”, said Gulian.

In his turn, the Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Tatul Margaryan has condemned the attempts by Azerbaijan to provoke a war. According to him, the economic blockade of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh will not bring Armenian people to their knees, since “freedom is not for sale”.

A small group of Azerbaijanis protesting in front of the Congress were demanded to retreat from the immediate entrance by the security service of the Congress.