Ambassador Ara Papian (ret.), a member of the Governing Council of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), visited Washington, DC during December 13-15, 2023, to hold discussions with senior U.S. officials. The Livingston Group (TLG), a prominent Washington-based lobbying firm formally representing the NDA, facilitated the meetings, with TLG’s Elias Gerasoulis, former Director of Legislative Affairs of the American Hellenic Institute, playing a key role in organizing the visit.
During the visit, Amb. Papian met with the following members of Congress and/or their offices: Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Appropriations Committee; Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Senate Finance Committee and the Veteran Affairs Committee; Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Co-Chair of Congressional Armenian and Hellenic Caucuses; Congressman Keith Self (R-TX), House Foreign Affairs Committee; Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA), House Foreign Affairs Committee; Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Senior Republican, House Foreign Affairs Committee; Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC), House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committee; and Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV), House Foreign Affairs Committee; as well as senior staff members of the Congressional Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and the U.S. Helsinki Commission. TLG also facilitated contacts between Ambassador Papian and Biden Administration officials.
During these meetings, Amb. Papian discussed the following issues with his congressional counterparts:
· Recent developments around Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), including ethnic cleansing perpetrated by Aliyev’s regime during September 19-20, 2023, and NDA’s vision for the resolution of the conflict;
· Dangers for Armenia’s security and progress stemming from the “peace treaty” under discussion between Armenian and Azerbaijani leadership, supported by Russia and Turkey;
· Continued presence and influence in Armenia of Russian Federation and its affiliates within Armenia, targeting pro-Western opposition parties and groups;
· Freedom of speech and media access in Armenia, specifically raising the issue of pro-Russian programming and biased and harmful coverage of NDA’s activities by the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), an agency funded by the U.S. Congress;
· Rapid deterioration of democracy and related institutions in Armenia, highlighting the Pashinyan administration’s increasing use of soft power to limit opposition activities and the imprisonment of political opponents, such as Varuzhan Avetisyan and other NDA supporters.
The congressional representatives welcomed the opportunity to engage deeply on Armenia-related matters with Amb. Papian and demonstrated a keen receptiveness to the concerns presented. Recognizing the importance of bolstering US-Armenia relations, they explored potential avenues for collaboration in the upcoming weeks and months. Specific outcomes included:
· Reassurances that the Artsakh issue remains open, with a commitment to work towards ensuring security in Armenia and facilitating the return of displaced individuals to their homes in Artsakh.
· Shared concerns about the proposed “peace deal” and requests for regular briefings from the NDA regarding its progress and implications.
· Disappointment over Armenia’s continued association with Russia-led blocs despite assurances of a pro-Western shift, acknowledging NDA’s efforts to shed light on Russia’s activities against Armenia and Artsakh.
· Interest in investigating biases in RFE/RL’s coverage and advocating for proportionate access for NDA to U.S.-funded media outlets.
· Concerns expressed about Varuzhan Avetisyan’s incarceration, including his serious health condition, and requests for further details to facilitate engagement on this matter.
Amb. Papian also met a group of lawyers and diplomatic historians to discuss legal issues pertaining to Artsakh’s status and human rights situation and discussing the potential for partnership along these issues. Building on an ongoing effort by a group of Armenia-American policy professionals in Washington, this partnership may help invigorate Diaspora engagement, directing efforts towards state-building and the security of Armenia and Artsakh.
Finally, Amb. Papain met a senior representative of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), one of the largest Jewish organizations in the US, where among other issues parties discussed allegations of antisemitism in Armenia sewed by third countries to hurt Armenia’s image, and steps to address this.
NDA expresses heartfelt appreciation to all congressional and community contacts for their time and interest in Armenian issues, as well as to TLG for facilitating a productive visit.
NDA Governing Council
December 18, 2023