MASSACHUSETTS STATE LEGISLATURE CALLS FOR RECOGNITION OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH

RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty
Aug 7 2012

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers in the U.S. state of Massachusetts have passed
a resolution calling on U.S. President Barack Obama and the U.S.

Congress to “support the self-determination and democratic
independence” of Nagorno-Karabakh, the predominantly ethnic-Armenian
separatist enclave in Azerbaijan.

The resolution, adopted on August 6 by the state’s House of
Representatives, also commends last month’s de-facto presidential
election in the territory as “another major step” in democratic
development.

The move follows the adoption of a similar resolution by the state
legislature of Rhode Island in May.

Both resolutions were lobbied for by Nagorno-Karabakh’s self-styled
representative office in the United States.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a war over the region from 1988 to 1994.

A final resolution to the dispute remains elusive.

No country recognizes the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh.