The council of the Armenian-populated city of Los Angeles has unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent and sovereign state.

The resolution was submitted by member of the Los Angeles City Council Paul Krekorian.

This document, which was approved in September 2013 and was officially transmitted to Nagorno-Karabakh Representative to the United States Robert Avetisyan just last week, is one of the similar resolutions and proclamations adopted in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, Louisiana, Maryland, the city of Fresno and elsewhere.

In the resolution the Los Angeles City Council considers it an honor to recognize the Republic of Artsakh as an independent and sovereign state and attaches importance to the fact that Artsakh, regardless of its status, has a glorious history spanning millennia and has its worthy place in the history and culture of the Armenian people.

In the resolution it is mentioned that the Republic of Artsakh declared its independence on December 10, 1991, after a long struggle that continues to this day. The Los Angeles City Council finds that Artsakh’s demand for self-determination has inspired several peoples living in the region. The Los Angeles City Council highly appreciates the fact that over the past two decades, the people of the Republic of Artsakh have been courageous and persistent during the war, the massacres, the economic deprivations and other great difficulties.

The Los Angeles City Council attaches special importance to the fact that the Republic of Artsakh has been making efforts to be fair and loyal to its citizens, has been maintaining its independence and has been contributing to the change of the political mindset and situation in the Caucasus for more than two decades. It is mentioned that Artsakh holds free and independent elections and referenda.

On April 24, 2012, Los Angeles established friendly ties with the city of Shushi of the Republic of Artsakh.

By adopting this resolution, the Los Angeles City Council affirms that Los Angeles expresses its respect to the Republic of Artsakh and its citizens and gives the people of the Republic of Artsakh what they deserve for their determination to resist the extreme difficulties.

In the resolution, the Council, on behalf of Los Angeles, wishes the Republic of Artsakh and its citizens peace, prosperity and more success and calls on the international community to properly recognize the Republic of Artsakh as a free, independent and sovereign state.

Armenian American political figure, author of the resolution, member of the Los Angeles City Council Paul Krekorian was born on March 24, 1960 in the San Fernando Valley.

Krekorian graduated from Cleveland High School in Reseda, enrolled in the University of Southern California and graduated from the Berkeley School of Law at the University of California. Krekorian has been a lawyer for nearly 20 years.

In 2006, Krekorian was elected member of the California State Assembly. From 2006 to 2009, Krekorian was elected Chairman of the Manufacturing Enterprises Protection Committee by the California State Assembly.