Armenia has passed a unique 25-year phase of the Third Republic with some valuable track-record of state-building, with accomplishments and mistakes, but with a confident view toward the future.

President Serzh Sargsyan stated the above-said in an article published by Izvestia newspaper of Russia.

“This road was not easy,” the President noted, in particular. “Armenia launched confident strides toward the restoration of its independent statehood.

“Under the conditions of an ongoing threat of physical annihilation of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh ([Artsakh)], [and] the territorial demands against Armenia, we focused on the strengthening of the defense capability of the country.

“Armenia consistently increases and strengthens its defense capability, including with its strategic ally, Russia.

“All this is aimed solely at ensuring the country’s guaranteed security and stable democratic development, proceeding from the interests of peace and stability in our region that is volatile with unresolved armed conflicts.”