US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., met with a congressional delegation in Armenia following violence along the border with Azerbaijan. “Our congressional delegation’s visit to Armenia is a powerful symbol of the United States’ steadfast commitment to a peaceful, prosperous and democratic Armenia and a stable and secure Caucasus region,” Pelosi said in a statement Saturday. “In working meetings with government leaders, members of civil society and members of the security establishment, we will convey the strong and continued support of the United States, as chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and a long-standing friend of Armenia, for a permanent settlement of the Nagorno conflict -Karabakh,” he added. Fighting broke out on Tuesday between Armenia and Azerbaijan as both sides accused each other of provocation. Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to broker a quick truce, with some reports later suggesting the deal had collapsed. AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIA FIGHTS LEFT 99 DEAD, PUTIN LOOKS TO “DE-SCALE” THE CONFLICT A US congressional delegation led by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrives in Yerevan for her first visit to Armenia, Saturday, September 17, 2022. (US Embassy in Armenia) Armenia’s defense ministry said at least 49 soldiers were killed in late-night shelling, while Azerbaijan claimed 50 of its soldiers were killed. Armenian officials said fighting had eased in some areas, but Azeri forces continued to try to advance into the country’s eastern territory. Civilian infrastructure was damaged in the attacks, but civilian casualties in Armenia remain unknown. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrives in Yerevan for her first visit to Armenia with a congressional delegation Saturday, September 17, 2022. (US Embassy in Armenia) The US Embassy in Armenia said Pelosi will speak with several officials during her visit, including Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan and other senior Armenian officials. Iran TO JOIN RUSSIA, CHINA-LED GROUP TRYING TO AVOID WESTERN SANCTIONS: REPORT “The U.S. Embassy in Armenia looks forward to welcoming a U.S. Congressional delegation led by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to Yerevan later today,” the embassy statement said, adding that Pelosi will discuss “relationships between the U.S.- of Armenia and the current security situation”. This image taken from a YouTube video released by Armenia’s Ministry of Defense on September 13, 2022, shows Azerbaijani soldiers crossing the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and approaching Armenian positions. Armenia’s prime minister says 49 soldiers were killed in overnight attacks by Azerbaijan. (Armenia Ministry of Defense via AP) On Tuesday the conflict stems from decades of aggression over a disputed mountainous territory in the South Caucasus known as Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but has been under the control of Armenian-backed forces since 1994. Pelosi defended US support for Armenia, saying members of her congressional delegation were “proud and longtime champions” of Armenia. UN SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS CHANCES OF RUSSIA PEACE DEAL, WORK ON FOOD EXPORTS ‘MINIMUM’ “Representatives Anna Eshoo and Jackie Speier bring a personal commitment to this fight as proud Armenian-Americans and as Californians, home to America’s largest Armenian population,” Pelosi explained. “Speaker Frank Pallone of New Jersey is the longtime co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Affairs.” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan delivers a speech at the National Assembly of Armenia in Yerevan, Armenia, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. (Tigran Mehrabyan/PAN Photo via AP) “Our delegation looks forward to productive meetings that will continue to strengthen our partnership with the Republic of Armenia and advance our values and interests in the region,” Pelosi concluded. President Biden made history shortly after taking office when he officially recognized the Armenian Genocide, a measure that the Armenian population in the US has been struggling to achieve for decades. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Previous White House administrations have avoided full recognition to avoid damaging relations with Turkey, which remains a key NATO ally. Fox News’ Caitlin McFall and Adam Shaw contributed to this report. Peter Aitken is a Fox News Digital reporter with a focus on national and global news.
