YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS. Thank to the 1990 September 9-29 hunger-strike held in Moscow, the legal-administrative bodies of Nagorno Karabakh autonomous district and its constitutional rights were restored which later played an important role in self-determination of Artsakh. Writer, publicist Zori Balayan mentioned about this in an interview with “Armenpress”, memorizing the development dating back a quarter century. “We did not expect that our activities would cause such a wide response and we even received numerous letters from Tajikistan during those days”, Balayan tells.

“I started the hunger-strike on September 9 of 1990 and sent an official letter to the President of the USSR Gorbachev on the same day which particularly read.

“Karabakh is being ruined in front of our eyes; the Soviet authorities are dissolved. Pride and dignity of Armenian population are trampled, the basic human rights are infringed, and the process of the destruction of the autonomous district is underway at the highest speed. I am a People's Deputy from Nagorno Karabakh and I cannot remain indifferent to the griefs of the nation. I cannot keep silent knowing that keeping silent will lead to tragedy: Artsakh can have the fate of Nakhchivan. This is the reason I consider my civil duty to follow the traditional principle: What you did for your motherland is not enough if you did not do everything”, Balayan emphasized.

On the 21st day of the hunger-strike, on September 29, unexpectedly arrived Vazgen I Catholicos. Zori Balayan remembers how he said that he is not only the Catholicos of all Armenians but also USSR People’s Deputy. He had brought pears with him, which the hunger-strikers enjoyed. The pears were from the orchards of Echmiadzin.