The Artsakh Defense Army, having the unconditional support of the people, is ready not only to defend the territorial integrity of the country and the security of the Artsakh people, but also to give adequate retaliation to the adversary, if necessary, Artsakh Republic President Arayik Harutyunyan told a meeting with Martuni community leaders on Friday.

Moreover, Artsakh is today ready to return its territories occupied by Azerbaijan, Harutyunyan stressed.

"The inviolable right of our people to live and create on their historical territory is not subject to bargaining. This is the response to the recurring baseless, unpromising and illogical statements made again by the Azerbaijani president yesterday,” he said. 

“Our steps, which we started with you in 1988, must not be questioned. The border drawn with our blood is impossible to change, and in case of change, this is not a populist statement, but rather a realistic program, we will expand our homeland rather than our security zone," the president stressed.