STEPANAKERT. – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh) President Bako Sahakyan on Saturday issued an address to the participants in the second forum of Armenian Political Parties, and which has kicked off in capital city Stepanakert.

“I welcome all of you in Artsakh, in your Homeland.

“Holding the second forum of Armenian Political Parties in Artsakh is significant and demanded, especially in the current period of time.

“Our political parties have an important feature: having various goals and programs, members and supporters, in crucial and decisive moments they are able to unite around national ideas in Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora, and solve the set issues with joint efforts.

“It was so during the April war, too, when the [Armenian] political forces displayed a principled position, demonstrated an exemplary unity, [and] united the society to support Artsakh, [and] protect the security of our people and state from the insidious encroachments by the enemy.

“The role of political parties is great in the life of democratic countries. We have established and fully-functioning parties in Armenia and Artsakh.

“Our traditional parties are functioning in the Armenian Diaspora [and] which, along with political activity, are also carrying out great work towards maintaining the Armenian national identity and cementing ties with the Motherland. It provides good opportunity for the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora inter-party cooperation.

“Once again underscoring the role of the parties in our political life and state-building process, I want to welcome this initiative of the [ruling] Republican Party of Armenia, and wish an active and productive work to all the participants in the forum,” the NKR President’s address runs, in particular.