YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Armen Sarkissian visited the Stepanakert Memorial with his Artsakh counterpart Bako Sahakyan today as part of the Independence Day events.

The presidents paid tribute to the memory of fallen soldiers of the Artsakh Liberation War, the Great Patriotic War, and the memory of Arthur Mkrtchyan, the first President of Artsakh’s Supreme Council.

“Not only is this the day of Independence, but also a day of confidence in victory and the future. This is the day when our entire Armenian people returned pride, the sweet sensation of victory, confidence for its strength and future,” Sarkissian told reporters.

In a sense this is a day of mission and national identity for our entire people. My soul is filled with pride, joy, however being present here at this memorial at this time, I can’t not think with what price the victory, pride and confidence for the future was acquired: with the best human lives. Our [men] did not give their lives in vain: they gave it in order for this country to become stronger, in order for Armenians worldwide, our entire people in Armenia, in the Diaspora and in Artsakh to be able to build its proud, strong and powerful homeland,” he said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan