Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR) Board members and staff recently met with California’s United States Senator Alex Padilla to discuss continued efforts to ensure accountability for the crimes committed against Armenia and Artsakh by Azerbaijan.

The ANCA-WR briefed the Senator on recent developments in Armenia, Artsakh, and the region. The Senator has been a vital legislative partner on the Federal level, where he recently submitted Amendment 6441 to the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act, which calls upon the United States to investigate Azerbaijan’s war crimes during the 2022 Artsakh War, its use of prohibited munitions, US made parts in Turkish Bayraktar drones, and Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s recruitment of foreign terrorist fighters during the war. The ANCA-WR and Senator Padilla discussed further avenues of maintaining pressure and the possibility of future sanctions on Azerbaijan and the Aliyev regime for their continued threats to Armenia’s sovereignty and overall peace and stability in the region.

The ANCA-WR emphasized the importance of the role the United States could play in ensuring regional security and stability in the Caucasus – by exerting pressure on Azerbaijan and holding it accountable for its gross violations of international laws and norms against Armenia and Artsakh and by maintaining a high level of engagement in the negotiations process.

“Senator Padilla’s support for Armenia and the Armenian American community cannot be overstated,” remarked Nora Hovsepian, Esq., Chair of the ANCA-WR Board of Directors. “We are grateful for his commitment to our issues and look forward to continuing our work with the Senator on the Federal level to hold Azerbaijan accountable for its ongoing crimes against the Armenian Nation,” she continued.

Senator Padilla, who was endorsed by the ANCA-WR and recently won his bid for re-election to the United States Senate, has maintained a solid and productive relationship with the Armenian American community during his long tenure in public service. Last year, Senator Padilla submitted a similar amendment to the FY22 NDAA and, following Azerbaijan’s unprecedented assault on the sovereign soil of the Republic of Armenia this September, called for the immediate halt to all military assistance provided by the United States to Azerbaijan for its continued hostility and belligerence.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.