RA AND NKR PRESIDENTS ATTENDED MILITARY MANEUVERS CONDUCTED BY NKR DEFENSE ARMY

DE FACTO
27. 10. 08

STEPANAKERT, 27. 10. 08. DE FACTO. On October 24 RA President Serzh
Sargsian arrived in Artsakh on a two-day working visit.

According to the Central Department of Information of the Office
of the NKR President, on October 25 the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic
President Bako Sahakian and RA President Serzh Sargsian partook at
solemn ceremonies of placing into commission new apartment houses in
capital Stepanakert and in Ivanian village.

In a solemn atmosphere Bako Sahakian handed over keys for the new
apartments to a group of NKR Defense Army servicemen.

Afterwards the Presidents of the two Armenian states attended military
maneuvers conducted by the NKR Defense Army.

After the maneuvers the NKR President answered questions put by
journalists.

Talking about rumors about the possibility of putting under risk NKR’s
independence and territorial integrity within the current borders,
Bako Sahakian said that state independence and security of the Nagorno
Karabagh Republic were exclusive values that, as had been reiterated,
could not be a subject of any speculations. "We, the Armenian people,
have paid a high price for this independence and security and today
do not have a right to put them under risk. The Nagorno- Karabagh
Republic is ready to start negotiations with Azerbaijan without any
preconditions and discuss any issue related to the settlement of the
Karabagh-Azerbaijani conflict. However, it cannot be at the expense
of our independence and security," the President added.

As for the preparedness level of the NKR Defense Army, the President
said that the maneuvers had once again demonstrated the high level
of the armed forces’ preparedness. The Head of the State noted that
the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic Defense Army was capable of rebuffing
any encroachment upon our independence and security and in case
of Azerbaijani aggression shift military activities deep into the
adversary’s territory.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress