YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS: President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan addressed a message in connection with the Artsakh Revival Day. Central Information Department of the Office of the Artsakh Republic President told Armenpress that the message runs as follows:

Dear compatriots,

On behalf of the republic's authorities and myself I cordially congratulate you on the Artsakh Revival Day.

February 20, 2012 was written in golden letters in our new history becoming one of the glorious pages of the chronicle of the Artsakh national-liberation movement. Long term struggle of the Armenian people achieved its culmination. Taking into consideration the fundamental principle of people's right to free self-determination we tried to bring our just and legal voice to the international community.

Being unshakable in the taken decision the proud people of Artsakh together with Armenia and world spread Armenians managed to confront the cruel war imposed by Azerbaijan and set about the difficult task of building an independent state. Guided by universal norms of international law we realized our natural right to self-determination and took our worthy place in the regional and international processes. Step-by-step the state government system was established, democratic institutions built, free market economy created.

Today we can say that we have steadily developing state, regular and efficient army, healthy civil society. Every day and every hour we have to preserve and further strengthen these achievements of our independence. It is everyone's duty.

Dear people of Artsakh,

I once again congratulate all of us and wish peace, prosperity, further success to the glory of free and independent Artsakh and our heroic people.