Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

WASHINGTON—In an apparent nod to Armenia’s constructive engagement on regional and global security challenges, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday marked the 26th anniversary of Armenian Independence with a public statement praising Yerevan’s “dedication to regional stability and international peacekeeping operations,” reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

“We welcome this expression of appreciation by Secretary Tillerson as a reflection of an emerging consensus within the Washington, DC foreign policy community around a policy of differentiation that, on the one hand, credits Yerevan for its constructive contributions to regional stability in the Caucasus and peacekeeping operations around the world, and, on the other, is willing to call out Baku for its openly destabilizing and unapologetically undemocratic conduct,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.

The complete text of Secretary Tillerson’s statement is below.

On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, congratulations to the people of Armenia on the 26th anniversary of your independence.

We commend the progress your country has made since independence and are proud of the work we have done together. We are committed to advancing democracy and promoting a robust and transparent economy in Armenia. We thank you for your dedication to regional stability and international peacekeeping operations. We greatly appreciate these endeavors toward building a more peaceful world.

Again, congratulations on your 26th year of independence. We look forward to many more years of continued friendship and partnership with Armenia and its people.