Independence and Partnership

IV.1Recognition and Diplomatic Relations

The United States recognized Armenia's independence on December 25, 1991, the day the Soviet Union dissolved. Diplomatic relations were established on January 7, 1992, and the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan opened in February 1992.^[1,2] The embassy has since become one of America's most significant diplomatic missions in the South Caucasus.^[3]

IV.2The FREEDOM Support Act and Section 907

In October 1992, Congress passed the FREEDOM Support Act to assist the newly independent post-Soviet states.^[1] At the urging of the Armenian American community, it included Section 907 (Public Law 102-511, enacted October 24, 1992). The provision restricted U.S. government aid to Azerbaijan until it took demonstrable steps to end its blockade and offensive use of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.^[4]

On October 24, 2001, after the September 11 attacks, the Senate gave the president authority to waive Section 907 for counterterrorism, military readiness and border security. Every president since has used that waiver.^[4] Section 907 remains one of the clearest examples of Armenian American influence on U.S. foreign policy.

IV.3Aid and Reconstruction

From 1992 to 2010, the United States provided nearly $2 billion in assistance to Armenia, described as the highest per-capita amount for any post-Soviet state.^[5] In the early years, humanitarian aid made up as much as 85% of the total. U.S. programs provided permanent housing for about 30,000 earthquake victims and helped clear displaced residents from more than 100 buildings.^[1]

In 2000, the U.S.–Armenia Task Force was created to review American assistance every six months.^[1]

IV.4Trade, Investment and the Millennium Challenge

Armenia signed an Agreement on Trade Relations, an Investment Incentive Agreement and a Bilateral Investment Treaty with the United States. Armenia's parliament ratified them in September 1995, and they entered into force in early 1996.^[1]

In March 2006, Armenia signed a Millennium Challenge Compact, which entered into force on September 29, 2006, and provided $235 million over five years for rural roads and irrigation.^[1] About 70 American-owned firms now operate in Armenia, including Dell, Microsoft and IBM, reflecting the growth of Armenia's technology sector.^[1]

IV.5Security Cooperation

In 2003, Armenia joined the U.S. European Command's State Partnership Program, which pairs partner nations with American National Guard units, and the two countries held their first joint military drills in 2013.^[1] The Kansas National Guard has continued to take part in U.S.–Armenia defense consultations.^[6] Cooperation later expanded through the Eagle Partner exercises.^[7]

IV.6Recognition Politics in Washington

The genocide recognition campaign intensified in this period. On October 10, 2007, the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved H.Res. 106 by a vote of 27 to 21, and Turkey recalled its ambassador in protest. The committee recognized the genocide again on March 4, 2010.^[8]

As a senator in January 2008, Barack Obama called the Armenian genocide a widely documented fact and pledged to recognize it. As president, however, he generally used the Armenian term Meds Yeghern. In April 2015, he sent a presidential delegation to Yerevan for the genocide centennial.^[8] At the state level, progress was faster: by April 2015, 44 of the 50 states had recognized the genocide.^[8]