Menu
Latest
Menu
Latest
Serzh Sargsyan:

Serzh Sargsyan:

2 September 2011

"The Nagorny Karabakh Republic 
is a full-fledged country with all its attributes. Even under the
threat of war, this country is much more democratic than those
speaking of democracy and national tolerance in the periods free from
threatening Armenians with war," President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
said at the ceremonial awarding at the residence of the NKR
President, ArmInfo's correspondent to Stepanakert reported.

The Head of Republic qualified Artsakh Republic's proclamation as an
important event for the whole Armenian nation, underlining that it is
a holiday of freedom and dignity of a human being and a nation,
restoration of violated rights and the victory of historical justice.
President Sargsyan called Artsakh the pride of the world spread
Armenians.

He said that Nagorny Karabakh's status cannot be lower than it is
now.

"The peace process is continued. Unlike the other party, we do not
conceal the truth from our people and do not indulge in wishful
thinking," the president said.


He said that the life and freedom of the Artsakh people cannot be
under jurisdiction of any other country.

"What happened in 1923 is impossible in the 21st century, especially
that we had paid too high a price for that," he said.

He highlighted that the vicious, long and terrible war unleashed by
Azerbaijan could drive to desperation anyone but not the Karabakh
people.

"Artsakh's self-defense groups drove to desperation and made to
escape those who turned our rich and beautiful region into the hell.
Massacres, destruction and robbery, ethnic purges and annihilation of
peaceful population were what the Armed Forces of the Azerbaijani
Republic were engaged in. For us that invasion of mercenaries and
robbers was historical testing that made us choose between death and
fight to live and become stronger. We chose life and today we
celebrate the victory of live over death," Serzh Sargsyan said.

The president said he is sure all the big and small problems will be
settled in the visible future and Artsakh will celebrate more and
more anniversaries.

The solemn ceremony of awarding took place at the residence of the
Artsakh Republic President on September 1. President Serzh Sargsyan
of Armenia who arrived in Artsakh yesterday to partake in the
independence celebrations was present at the event.

In connection with the 20th anniversary of the NKR proclamation a
group of Artsakh liberation movement activists, freedom fighters and
servicemen, distinguished public figures and politicians,
philanthropists, scientists, workers of culture, education and sports
spheres, journalists from Artsakh, the Republic of Armenia, Diaspora
and abroad were decorated with state awards.

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
In Ethiopia, government forces take rebel capital
Trending

In Ethiopia, government forces take rebel capital

4 October 2026
Government forces in Ethiopia, have taken control of the town of Mekelle, capital of the Tigray region. Earlier, Ethiopia's federal military said it had recaptured the main airport in the capital of the northern Tigray region, dealing a major setback to an ​opposition alliance in its stronghold. Clashes pitting a rebel alliance led by Tigray's ruling party ‌against the government and its allied forces broke out in northern Ethiopia last week, in the most serious escalation of violence since a 2020-2022 civil war. The fighting has stoked fears that it could escalate into a wider regional conflict, potentially drawing in neighbouring ​countries in the Horn of Africa and the Gulf. In recent days Ethiopia and Eritrea broke off diplomatic relations amid mutual accusations. In Washington, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott ​said the United States strongly urged Ethiopia and Eritrea to "exercise maximum restraint and return ⁠to dialogue and cooperation as agreed in their 2018 peace framework." "The Horn of Africa cannot sustain another ​military conflict and humanitarian crisis," Pigott said. "A conflict jeopardizes ongoing U.S. collaboration on shared interests with both countries." The ​federal government in Addis Ababa accused Eritrea of supporting the rebel alliance alongside Sudan and Egypt. The three countries deny this. Troops from the Ethiopian National Defence Forces had regained control of Alula Aba ​Nega Airport in Tigray's capital Mekelle,   A Mekelle resident who asked not to be named for security reasons, confirmed the ‌taking of ⁠the airport by government forces and added they could hear gunfire outside the city centre. This source said they had seen some Tigrayan Defence Force fighters abandoning their posts and heading home, and that there was looting of government facilities taking place in the city. Mekelle's airport, which ​is around 10 km (6 miles) from the centre of the city, was ​one of three ⁠airports in the region that were seized by the opposition forces at the start of the fighting on September 23. The taking of Mekelle by government forces would be a major setback for the opposition alliance, although analysts say ⁠it ​would be unlikely to end the conflict. In 2020, federal forces captured ​Mekelle within the first month of the two year war before the TPLF reclaimed it seven months later.

Popular

Editor's choice
Interview
Thursday Interview: Murad Muradov
Trending

Thursday Interview: Murad Muradov

15 January 2026
Today, commonspace.eu starts a new regular weekly series. THURSDAY INTERVIEW, conducted by Lauri Nikulainen, will host  persons who are thinkers, opinion shapers, and implementors in their countries and spheres. We start the series with an interview with Murad Muradov, a leading person in Azerbaijan's think tank community. He is also the first co-chair of the Action Committee for a new Armenian-Azerbaijani Dialogue. Last September he made history by being the first Azerbaijani civil society activist to visit Armenia after the 44 day war, and the start of the peace process. Speaking about this visit Murad Muradov said: "My experience was largely positive. My negative expectations luckily didn’t play out. The discussions were respectful, the panel format bringing together experts from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey was particularly valuable during the NATO Rose-Roth Seminar in Yerevan, and media coverage, while varied in tone, remained largely constructive. Some media outlets though attempted to represent me as more of a government mouthpiece than an independent expert, which was totally misleading.  Overall, I see these initiatives as important steps in rebuilding trust and normalising professional engagement. The fact that soon a larger Azerbaijani civil society visits to Armenia followed, reinforces the sense that this process is moving in the right direction." (click the image to read the interview in full)
Murad Muradov
Lauri Nikulainen interviews Murad Muradov