STEPANEKERT (RFE/RL)–Arkady Ghoukassian–president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic–on Thursday went to work to his official residence in Stepanakert for the first time since last March’s armed attack in which he was wounded in the legs. The publicized return to the usual working conditions appeared to be an official announcement of the end of his four-month recovery from those wounds.
Ghoukassian’s press office announced that the Karabakh leader "has spent his working day in his official residence" meeting with key members of the local government. Official photographs sent from Stepanakert showed him walking on crutches.
A US diplomat who met Ghoukassian in the Karabakh capital earlier this month found him "in excellent spirits."
Ghoukassian held a meeting with Speaker of the Nagorno-Karabakh National Assembly Oleg Yesayan and Vice-Speaker Mushegh Oghajanian and congratulated them on being elected to their high posts. The sides also discussed issues related to the new Parliament’s future activities and its problems.
Later that day–President Ghoukassian held working meetings with Secretary of the Nagorno-Karabakh President Security Council Silva Hovhannissian–Minister of the Interior Bako Sahakian–Minister of Finance Spartak Tadevossian and Minister of Agriculture Armo Tsatrian. The sides discussed the political–economic and social situations in the country.
Ghoukassian also held a meeting with Prime Minister Anushavan Danielian who left for Yerevan on a official visit.