Artsakh President Speaks at European Parliament
President Bako Sahakyan (center) with His Holiness Aram I at the European Parliament in Brussels
BRUSSELS—On October 15, President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan participated in the 3rd Conference of European Armenians, organized by the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (ANC of Europe) and held at the European Parliament. Sahakyan delivered a speech there, reiterating his willingness to develop relations with Europe.
Bako Sahakyan touched upon issues related to state building process in Artsakh, the country’s foreign policy, the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement process, and regional trends.
According to the President, cooperation with the European Parliament is highly demanded by both the EAFJD and Artsakh.
Bako Sahakyan stressed that Stepanakert is genuinely interested in the development and strengthening of relations with Europe, considering European countries as friendly states.
The Armenian Apostolic Church’s Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I, Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan, Nagorno-Karabakh Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Aghabekyan, Nagorno-Karabakh Foreign Minister Karen Mirzoyan, members of the European Parliament, and other officials partook in the event.
In his welcoming speech Bako Sahakyan said such events are important for our compatriots living in Europe, Armenian organizations functioning there, as well as for on-going strengthening and deepening of their relations with the Homeland.
A delegation of European and Armenian representatives at the European Parliament
According to the President, cooperation with different Diaspora organizations is of special importance for Artsakh and the European direction is of particularly great importance in this context.
President Sahakyan underlined that the constantly developing and changing world dictated the necessity of making corresponding adjustments in the Diaspora-Artsakh cooperation, maintaining and further cementing elements of traditional cooperation, and at the same time inventing new directions and ideas.
Within this context Bako Sahakyan considered it important to carry out coordinated work between Diaspora organizations and concerned structures in Artsakh and Armenia towards the international recognition of Artsakh. Sahakyan also mentioned as important the establishment of wider public awareness of Artsakh, introducing it as a safe and stably developing country, properly presenting the most attractive sites and projects for foreign investments, and rapidly responding to the enemy’s libelous and provocative policy of misinformation.
