The "Armenia" faction of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia sent a letter to the Vice President of the United States of America, James David Vance.
Below we present the content of the letter.
Dear Mr. Vice President,
Your upcoming visit to Armenia takes place in rather difficult internal and external conditions for our people. On the one hand, Armenia is facing external aggression, Azerbaijani occupation of sovereign territory in the form of illegal blockade and hostile policy by neighboring countries, on the other hand, it is facing the crisis of democratic institutions, political control of the judicial system, violation of the rule of law by the government, systematic pressure and persecution of the opposition.
The totalitarian aspirations of the Armenian authorities did not bypass the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church either, with the intention of subordinating the church to the political will of the authorities. Fictitious criminal cases have been initiated against ten high-ranking clergymen. One of the mentioned clerics has already been sentenced to two years in prison, and the detention of the three has been used as a preventive measure. The authorities of Armenia illegally violate the sovereignty and independence of the church, thus grossly violating Armenian legislation and international convention obligations.
We appreciate the efforts of the current US administration aimed at establishing long-term peace in the Caucasus, which is also the result of your visit to the region.
Mr. Vice President, your visit to Armenia and the region can really be marked in the history of Armenian-American relations by promoting a real peace agenda, a peace that is based on justice and dignity, a peace where the inalienable rights of Artsakh Armenians are respected and realized with international guarantees, a peace that does not justify ethnic cleansing and war crimes.
In this context, allow me to record with satisfaction the US State Department's 2025 In September, the political position presented to the petitioning members of the US Congress regarding the right of return of Artsakh Armenians and the protection of Artsakh shrines, the return of Armenian prisoners of war held in Baku. Your visit is the best opportunity to pursue these principles promulgated by the US executive branch.
Armenian-American relations have always been distinguished by strong friendship, high level of political dialogue and mutual understanding. The more than one million Armenian community of the United States of America, which was formed by hundreds of thousands of our compatriots who survived the horror of the Armenian Genocide and found refuge under the hospitable roof of the United States, also has its own unique role in the bilateral relations of our states. We are determined to further deepen the Armenian-American strategic partnership in the future for the benefit of our states and peoples.
Mr. Vice President, informing you about the internal political realities of Armenia, we do not expect your intervention in the internal life of the Republic of Armenia. The independence of Armenia's political processes and the exclusion of any interference by any geopolitical center is one of the key priorities of the opposition of the Republic of Armenia. The reestablishment of democratic order in Armenia is our internal matter, which is what the opposition is pursuing.
Our expectation is your active involvement in the return of at least 19 of our compatriots illegally detained in Baku, including the military and political leadership of Nagorno Karabakh. These people are deprived of the protection of fundamental human rights and are subjected to torture solely because of their national and religious affiliation.
We are sure that the current American regime, faithful to its principles, can solve this very important problem for our people and state, which will significantly increase the atmosphere of mutual trust in the Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations, as well as strengthen the positions of American mediation and strengthen its public perception.
Mr. Vice President, we will be happy to meet with you during your visit to discuss the above-mentioned issues. We consider such a meeting to be particularly important in order to convey our assessments of Armenia's internal political situation and regional developments.
With wishes for a successful and productive visit, RA NA "Armenia" faction
