On 20 February in connection with the Artsakh Revival Day President Bako Sahakyan took part at the meeting with the NKR National Assembly deputies of all convocations and delivered a welcoming speech there.

Welcoming address of Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan to the participants in the meeting with NKR National Assembly deputies of all convocations in connection with the Artsakh Revival Day

Dear attendees,

I am glad to welcome all of you and congratulate all our compatriots on the Artsakh Revival Day. Each of you carries the very symbol of this day and has had a personal contribution to the realization of the ideas of the national liberation movement. Many of our friends have laid down their lives for victory of these ideas. Eternal glory and honor to them!

20 February of 1988 became the starting point of our national revival. We stood to defend our natural right for free and independent life on our native land, for mastering our own destiny independently and in correspondence with international norms and principles. Azerbaijan reacted to our peaceful and just demand with cruel and bloody war, which caused heavy human sacrifices and devastations.

The heroic people of Artsakh together with world spread Armenians managed to withstand all the ordeals and chose the path of building a democratic state. For us this way has been irreversible and final.

We are very much confident that every problem the contemporary world faces can be solved exclusively in civilized manner, around the negotiation table through direct dialogue. In contrast with this the authorities of Azerbaijan continue to wage militaristic policy keeping their own people in a situation of permanent tensions and the danger of war resumption. These threats are vain and inappropriate. We have a regular and efficient army that is ready to give a fitting rebuff to any encroachment upon the security of our state and people.

Dear friends,

The NKR National Assembly of all convocations has played a great role in building an independent statehood, forming state institutions and consolidating democratic values. Soon there will be new regular elections of the NKR National Assembly. For our people it is a political event of utmost importance. And we should do everything possible for these elections as always to be carried out in correspondence with international standards and take us a step forward оn the way of building a firm and prosperous future of Artsakh.

Thank you!