Working visit of President Serzh Sargsyan to Artsakh

President Serzh Sargsyan, who is in Artsakh in the framework of the program of cooperation between the two Armenian Republics, accompanied by the President of NKR Bako Sahakian, RA Minister of Defense Seiran Ohanian, Commander of the NKR Army of Defense, Lieutenant General Movses Hakopian and the commanding officers of the Army visited a number of military regiments dislocated in the northern part of the NKR and the defense lines under the control of the military units.

In the course of the tour, Serzh Sargsyan familiarized with the present stage of the army building works. Later, he observed a military exercise on “Battalion assumes defense” topic carried out at the north-eastern sector of the defense lines with the participation of a motorized infantry unit. During the military exercise, presented were the takeover of the current defense line and elements of conducting a defensive combat. At the military town, the President of Armenia attended also the opening ceremonies for the headquarters-barracks building and a club for the officers’ leisure and respite. President Sargsyan awarded the most active and diligent soldiers and officers with precious gifts, conversed with the servicemen and members of their families.

At the conclusion of the day, after the exhibition exercises, at the Headquarters of the Army of Defense there took place a meeting with the participation of the Presidents of the two Armenian states, leadership of the Defense Ministries, and commanding officers.

On the second day of his working visit to the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, President Serzh Sargsyan together with President of NKR Bako Sahakian observed a “tank combination” competition conducted at the Tigranakert training ground. The competition revealed the best participant through the precise firing and other requirements. Later, at the same training ground the Presidents of the two Armenian Republics observed the two-sided tactical exercise titled “Preparing the assault force of the Defense Army for full combat readiness: organization of defense, conduct of defensive battle, organization of assault.” The most important elements of the exercise were the actions of the raiding detachment in the flanks and in the rear of the enemy. Military exercised were followed by the ceremony of awarding the personnel: the most active participants of the exercised received emoluments. In Artsakh President Serzh Sargsyan familiarized also with the programs carried out in mining area and prospects of its development.

In Artsakh President Serzh Sargsyan on November 14 together with the President of NKR Bako Sahanian, Heads of the Defense Ministries of the two Armenian Republics and the highest commanding staff visited a military unit of the Defense Army dislocated in the central part of Artsakh. After greeting the troops on the drill ground, the President conversed with the soldiers and officers. Later, he observed an exhibition exercise of a reconnaissance detachment.

The Presidents of RA and NKR paid tribute and laid a wreath at the memorial of fallen heroes erected on the territory of the military dislocation.

After the official opening of the army structures built here, Serzh Sargsyan and Bako Sahakian observed the preparatory exercises of the staff getting ready for combat duty and commended those who demonstrated the best results. The Presidents of the two Armenian states visited also a military unit dislocated in the southern part of Artsakh, where recently opened was a new service building furnished with every convenience. Here, the Presidents observed also exercises of the troops on overcoming the zone of artificial obstacles.

In the morning of November 15 in Stepanakert, Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Bako Sahakian held a private meeting which was followed by the consultations in the extended format, with the participation of the delegation of the Republic of Armenia, the Prime Minister of NKR and members of the government. Discussed were issues related to economic cooperation with the Republic of Armenia and the process of implementation in Artsakh of a number of programs.