AZG Armenian Daily #176, 01/10/2005

Karabakh diary

NAGORNO KARABAKH: ON ONE LEVEL WITH DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

President of Nagorno Karabakh, Arkady Ghukasian, received yesterday a group
of members of the World Armenian Congress and Union of Russia’s Armenians
visiting Artsakh within the frameworks of the Days of Russia’s Armenians in
Armenia and Artsakh. The head of the republic welcomed the guests
emphasizing the importance of such meetings. Speaking of current
socio-economic situation of Artsakh, Pres. Ghukasian mentioned of the poor
conditions of Artsakh’s settlements. “Seeing you in Karabakh today, we are
sure that the country will revive, and we will overcome problems in all
spheres. We have to win the economic war, too. I think that will be so”,
Ghukasian said. After having roamed in ins and outs of Stepanakert, deputy
chairman of URA German Anyanyants and his friends expressed their happiness
with what they saw. “It’s hard to imagine that once there was a war here.
Karabakh does fall behind any country with its development. We got in touch
with teachers and pupils and saw happiness and faith for Karabakh’s future
in their eyes”, he said.

The members of the delegation were also interested in the conflict
regulation process. Arkady Ghukasian said on this regard: “We do not say
that Azerbaijan’s army makes no headway but a nation’s spirit is an
important factor. We had a chance to make sure of that. No matter how much
Azerbaijan fumes, Karabakh can never again be its appendage; that’s an
absurd that everybody understands”.

On behalf of the Union of Russia’s Armenians and its chairman Ara
Abrahamian, the delegation presented the schools of Stepanakert with
computers.

By Kim Gabrielian in Stepanakert