Artskah President Arayik Harutyunyan on Tuesday met with regional administration officials, community and civic leaders in Martakert, where he pledged his government’s commitment to Artsakh’s independence.
Harutunyan said that the ongoing struggle for independence and state-building in Artsakh was based on the right of peoples to self-determination. He also underscored that in parallel with the guarantees and activities of the Russian peacekeeping contingent, his government will continue improving its own security mechanisms, and the effectiveness of the civil defense system.
In discussing the recent incursion by Azerbaijani forces into the Parukh village and the advancement of their troops onto the Karaglukh Heights in the Askeran region, Harutyunyan said that negotiations with the Russian peacekeeping command was continuing to ensure that Azerbaijani forces withdraw from their occupying positions.
At the same time, Harutyunyan emphasized that ensuring the relative and fragile peace in the conflict zone is possible due to the Russian peacekeeping forces, and that the Artsakh people and authorities are convinced that their presence should be guaranteed indefinitely with the corresponding increase of servicemen and military equipment.
The Artsakh president also touched upon the issues of ensuring energy and food security, noting that work is already underway to harness solar energy, to ensure the rational use of small hydropower stations, forest and other natural resources, and lands.
After the meeting, Harutyunyan, accompanied by the Pastor of Martakert’s St. John the Baptist Church, Rev. Hovhannes Hovhannisyan participated in a joint prayer conducted in the churches of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
