KARABAKH LEADER THANKS US ARMENIANS FOR SUPPORT

Artsakh State TV, Stepanakert
20 Oct 04

On 19 October, the president of the NKR (Nagornyy Karabakh Republic),
Arkadiy Gukasyan, received a delegation of the Armenian Assembly of
America led by the deputy chairperson of the board of trustees, Mrs
Anni Totah. Arpi Vartanyan, director of the assembly’s offices in
Armenia and Nagornyy Karabakh, was also present at the meeting. During
the meeting, members of the delegation shared their impression of the
visit with the NKR president. The delegation travelled to Stepanakert
, Shushi (, Gandzasar and some other villages in the NKR.

The guests noticed progress in all spheres of life in Nagornyy
Karabakh and the authorities’ efforts to overcome the consequences of
the war and rebuild destroyed infrastructure and economy of the
republic. At the same time, they said that there are still many
unresolved problems in the provinces in comparison with Stepanakert
where no traces of war have remained. In connection with this they
expressed readiness to use the potential of their organization to
assist Artsakh (Nagornyy Karabakh). The members of the delegation
underlined that people and officials in the NKR were open-minded and
ready to accept any new idea.

They also touched upon the reconstruction of Shushi. Arkadiy Gukasyan
noted that the Karabakh authorities are working in that direction and
have prepared several programmes to revive the town as an all-Armenian
educational, cultural and health resort centre. However, Gukasyan
said, Nagornyy Karabakh is not able to resolve this problem on its own
and the only option here is to join efforts of the entire Armenian
diaspora.

At the request of the delegation, Gukasyan briefed them on the current
stage and the prospects of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
settlement. The president underlined the importance of restoring a
real negotiation format within the OSCE Minsk Group with Nagornyy
Karabakh involved in it as a full party to the talks. Only in this
case, he said, will it be possible to find a constructive solution to
the problem.

Finally, Gukasyan expressed his appreciation for the active lobbyist
activities of the assembly thanks to which the US government provides
annual humanitarian assistance to the NKR; the USA is now the only
country in the world that provides official assistance to Nagornyy
Karabakh. Gukasyan noted that programmes carried out with these
financial resources had a positive impact on the life in the
republic. Although humanitarian programmes which the assembly is
carrying out in Artsakh are very important, the NKR needs mutually
beneficial business cooperation, Gukasyan said.

(Video shows Gukasyan’s meeting with the assembly’s delegation)