On the eve of April 24th civic and spiritual leaders of Armenia and Artsakh made a joint appeal to the nation

By the proposal of President Armen Sarkissian, today at the Presidential Palace there took place a meeting attended by His Holiness Garegin II Catholicos of All Armenians, President of Artsakh Bako Sahakian, Prime Minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, Speaker of the National Assembly Ara Babloyan, First Vice Prime Minister Karen Karapetian and Chairman of the Public Council Vazgen Manukian.
Discussed was the current political situation in the Republic. The participants of the meeting expressed their concern and made a joint appeal to the nation, urging at the solemn for our nation day, April 24, to come up in unity, put aside all disagreements and pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
At the beginning of the meeting, President Armen Sarkissian stated:

“Your Holiness, Distinguished President of Artsakh, Mr. Prime Minister, esteemed colleagues, I thank you for responding to my request to hold this meeting. Tomorrow is April 24 – a solemn day for our nation. This day, for over one hundred years, has been commemorated by our entire nation as the day of the memory of the victims of Mets Eghern and the day of our national tragedy. Nowadays, the situation is tense: Demonstration are going on in different parts of the country, Yerevan is seething. It is true that these are mainly peaceful demonstration but a tense situation could be explosive too. Of course, each of us has appealed to the people, the authorities and the police to preserve peaceful state of things, peaceful demonstrations and a peaceful response to these demonstrations.

But tomorrow is April 24th, and we all have to realize and assess sensitivity of the situation and the moment, its significance. This is a day, when Armenians – not matter who they are, what political views may have, worried or calm, that day, we may not endanger that sacred day.

Thus, I have asked for a gathering to appeal once again to all our compatriots in Armenia, Artsakh and Spyurk, to observe together the memory of our victims on April 24. This is the day when two Armenians must not raise a hand against each other; the day when even a drop of blood must not be shed; the day when the entire world is watching. If we are not able to unite on this day – April 24, regardless of all difficulties, we will cause huge damage to us, our history, our nation.
I have invited you to this meeting so that we agree to appeal together to all our compatriots – all over the world and here at home, so that we put aside all our disagreements and points of view for at least one day, so that we stand united on that sacred day and come together for our national struggle and after that, may be starting April 25, take up again the task of resolving our problems. And these problems, as I have said on a number of occasions, have one solution – a dialogue, negotiations,” President Armen Sarkissian said.

“I believe not only each of us but also every Armenian must do everything so that April 24th is not stained, and not only tomorrow but in general, ever. Thus, we will do everything we can so that on that day we are able to pay tribute to the memory of our blessed victims,” Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan said.

“I have no doubt that April 24 is sacred and dear to the sons and daughters of our nation. For decades, we have been walking up to Tsitsernakaberd – the memorial of the victims of the Genocide - with prayers, and bowed to their memory. I am confident that tomorrow too every son and daughter of our nation, with the great sense of responsibility, somber and solemnly will walk up the Memorial with prayer in the heart and will pay tribute, will bow, will ask for the intercession of our saints, so that our Fatherland continues to advance in a habitual way, to make the life of our people secure, our statehood - resolute, strong, and stable. This wish, this prayer should be precious to each Armenian and should resonate from Tsitsernakaberd,” Catholicos of All Armenians said.

“Distinguished Mr. President,
The people of Artsakh and I welcome your initiative, and I am deeply confident that our people will assess this initiative adequately and will show the necessary attitude,” President of Artsakh Bako Sahakian said.

“Distinguished Presidents,
Distinguished Mr. Prime Minister,
Your Holiness,
Dear Colleagues,
I would like to inform you in detail that last night, on my way back from a trip abroad I immediately went to see Sasun Mikaelian, Ararat Mirzoyan, and Nicol Pashinian.
My first appeal, which I maintain constantly, the one that was sounded here today – April 24 is the day of our unity, it’s a sacred day for us and we should be together. I proposed that starting today we commence the process, sit around the table, explaining in detail the objectives and expectations for all, for the people, because whatever we do, we do for our people. Today, I have met with a MP from Elq and asked him to urge his colleagues to sit around the table and for this period of time to halt meetings so that we are able calmly, with no pressure create the roadmap which will allow to move forward and break the stalemate. Thus, starting today, we need to move forward with that proposal,” the Speaker of the National Assembly Ara Babloyan said.

“Distinguished Mr. President,
As for April 24, there is no alternative and I don’t believe any Armenian would differ on this. I welcome the initiative of the Speaker of the National Assembly; it proves once again that all disagreements, all problems on that day must be set aside and we should commemorate April 24. On the next day, we’ll try to find solutions,” the Chairman of the Public Council Vazgen Manukian said.

“Thank you, Mr. President,
I am confident that this proposal will be acceptable for our people. It’s a momentous day, and we have a task of proving to the world once again that we, Armenians stand by the objectives we have, can sit down and come to a logical agreement; it is simply necessary. I am confident that we will find the solution,” First Prime Minister Karen Karapetian said.
President Armen Sarkissian thanked the participants of the meeting for their positions and supporting his initiative.
At the conclusion of the meeting, First Vice Prime Minister Karen Karapetian made a statement for the media.

“Today, we have made a decision, I have appealed to the RA Prosecutor General to withdraw his motion regarding the members of the National Assembly. At this moment, I am going to meet with Mr. Pashinian, to negotiated and find a solution. Tomorrow is a critical day, and I believe we possess enough reason and senses to show the entire world that no matter how complicated the problem is, no matter how many unresolved problems and discontent there are, we are able to sit down and find a logical solution.”