A strong state must have a strong army and modern political system: Serzh Sargsyan

President Serzh Sargsyan’s Address to the participants of the Second Conference of the Armenian Political Parties

Esteemed Colleagues,

I cordially greet the participants and guests of the Second Conference of the Armenian Political Parties. I am glad that members of the political parties represented in the Parliaments of Armenia and Artsakh have responded to the initiative of the Republican Party of Armenia and gathered in the capital of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh – Stepanakert.

Consistent and coordinated efforts aimed at further democratization, enhanced efficiency of the state administration structures and full implementation of human rights, whose main implementers are the political parties, are critically important for the added empowerment of the two Armenian states.

I am aware that the invitation to participate at the Conference was accepted by the political forces and political figures which had in the past and have now different views and different positions on various issues. However they have expressed readiness to jointly outline approaches related to the activities of political parties within our society, information, civil society and foreign relations, issues pertinent to Nagorno Karabakh and other topics.

I am confident that this format will allow the political parties to forge united pan-national positions, based on their internally adopted policies. Moreover so since military activities, which took place at the Nagorno Karabakh borderline several weeks ago, revealed once again potential of the all-national unity and our nation’s resolve to live in freedom and defend that freedom. A strong state must have a strong army as well as modern political, social, and economic structures based on the national system of values.

I once again salute the representatives of the Armenian political parties and wish the Conference productive work.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS