NKR Leader Says Karabakh Army Guarantor of Truce with Baku in 9 May Speech
Arminfo, Yerevan
8 May 04
STEPANAKERT
The 9 May has always been honoured by the Karabakh people, the
president of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic (NKR), Arkadiy Gukasyan,
has said in his congratulatory speech to the people.
According to an Arminfo correspondent in Stepanakert, Gukasyan said
that in the relatively recent past the 9 May had been celebrated as a
victory of the then common motherland in the patriotic war against
fascist Germany. Every second resident of Nagornyy Karabakh who went
to the front was killed in this war.
“But 12 years ago the 9 May acquired a special importance for us,
indeed becoming decisive for the Armenians of Artsakh (Nagornyy
Karabakh),” Gukasyan said. The town of Shushi was liberated on that
day and again became an Armenian town, as it should be. The NKR
defence army, which marks its birthday on 9 May, liberated this town,
amazing the world with its courage and fighting skill.
“Due to the successful Shushi operation the road of life’ to mother
Armenia was opened, saving the Artsakh people from full physical
elimination,” Gukasyan added. He talked about the historical
significance of the Shushi liberation.
It is very symbolic that these three dates are marked on the same
day. This coincidence embodies the succession of
generations. According to Gukasyan, the current generation of Artsakh
people continued with glorious military traditions of their
grandfathers and fathers who had demonstrated courage and fearlessness
on the battlefield of the World War II. The current generation
defended freedom and independence of Nagornyy Karabakh in fighting
with the enemy which was much stronger, given personnel and hardware.
“May the memory of those, who were killed for Artsakh’s happy future,
live forever. The duty of those living is not to allow the blood shed
by them be in vain. Long live our military veterans!”, Gukasyan said.
He said that, the NKR leadership will take care of them in the future
as well. The NKR defence army, which was formed to fight for the
republic’s freedom, remains the most reliable guarantor of security of
the NKR and its people. Today, when Azerbaijan is trying to turn the
history back and is cherishing revanchist hopes for the forcible
settlement of the Karabakh problem, “we should maintain the rate of
military construction and equip our army with up-to-date weapons and
improve its fighting skills”.
“At the same time, I again declare with all responsibility that the
NKR defence army is an army of peace. Its main task was and remains to
defend Nagornyy Karabakh and its people from external aggression. Be
confident: our army is ready at any moment to repulse the enemy, if it
dares to breach our peaceful life and infringe on our independence,”
he added.
Gukasyan said that this May holiday coincided with another important
event, i.e. the signing 10 years ago of a cease-fire agreement in the
zone of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan, Nagornyy
Karabakh and Armenia. Azerbaijan was forced to recognize Nagornyy
Karabakh as a party to the conflict and sign the truce with it
exclusively due to the successes of the Karabakh army. If cease-fire
has been preserved up till now, this is due to the strength and might
of the NKR defence army which defends our motherland.
“Precisely for this reason our army is also one of the effective
guarantors of maintaining a peaceful settlement of the conflict with
Azerbaijan. I would like to assure you that, as before, the NKR
leadership thinks that there is no alternative to a peaceful
settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh problem.
“Dear people of Artsakh, congratulations on the forthcoming holiday. I
would like to congratulate you all on the day of our common victory. I
wish peace, prosperity and happiness to all of us,” Gukasyan said.