President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian today received a group of Armenians of Hadrut who were deprived of their homes as a result of the Azerbaijani-Turkish military aggression against Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and who have taken shelter in Armenia.

“We all feel pain, but it can’t be compared with the pain that you and your families and relatives feel. We Armenians need to do everything possible to make sure all Armenians in Armenia and Artsakh are able to get back on their feet and not become a defeated people, state and nation. For this, we need to stand united as a nation and state,” he said.

The Armenians of Hadrut told the President that they have expressed their concerns and discord to international organizations and foreign embassies and informed that they have four main requests, that is, to consider the de-ocupation of Hadrut, make all efforts to make sure the issue of Hadrut and all related issues are included in the agenda for negotiations of the OSCE Minsk Group, move the issue of those displaced from Hadrut to the legal level and protect the historical and cultural monuments of Hadrut.

President Sarkissian said he had nothing to do with the document on the truce and stated that one of the first steps to take now is “to bring the Nagorno-Karabakh issue back to the negotiations (OSCE Minsk Group). “At the end of the day, the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh will be determined by the OSCE Minsk Group. We Armenians need to use our potential in politics and diplomacy to make sure it is discussed by the Minsk Group again. This is exactly the mechanism that must be used to protect the historical, spiritual and cultural heritage. The platforms can be the OSCE Minsk Group, the UNESCO and other international organizations,” he said.

When the Armenians of Hadrut asked what they can to do to contribute, President Sarkissian told them that they have to make their voices heard and added that he stands with them.