2 minute read
YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS: President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan had a phone conversation with former President of Nagorno Karabakh Republic Arkady Ghukasyan and congratulated him on the 55th birth anniversary, wished robust health and successes. As Armenian President’s press service told Armenpress, Serzh Sargsyan highly assessed the contribution of Arkady Ghukasyan to consolidation of Nagorno Karabakh statehood, strengthening of Armenia-Nagorno Karabakh-Diaspora ties and to implementation of national programs, stressing that today too Mr Ghukasyan continues his activity for the good of people and homeland. Arkady Ghukasyan was the second President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. He was elected as the President on September 8, 1997 and re-elected in 2002, until his term ended on July 19, 2007 and was succeeded by Bako Sahakyan. He started his working career as a correspondent for "Soviet Karabakh" newspaper, becoming its Deputy Editor-in-Chief in 1981. In 1991 Ghukasyan was elected to the first Parliament of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. In September 1992, he was appointed Political Adviser to the Chairman of the State Defense Committee, and headed the NKR delegations during OSCE negotiations with Azerbaijan. Mr Ghukasyan has been a member of Nagorno-Karabakh's Security Council since 1993. On July 23, 1993 he became the first Foreign Minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.