YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Arkady Ghoukassian–wrapped up his US visit over the weekend. He met Saturday with heads of the Armenian organizations of the East Coast of the United States.
The Karabakh president presented the current social and economic situation in the republic and prospects of a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh problem. The sides also conferred about issues–pertaining to boosting of cooperation among Artsakh–Armenia and Diaspora for the purpose of solving urgent national tasks.
On Sunday– president Arkady Ghoukassian and his entourage attended a solemn ceremony of ordaining the Primate of Cilician Diocese of the Eastern Coast of the United States and Canada Oshakan Choloyan archbishop.
On the occasion of the 11th anniversary of the Artsakh movement Prof. Richard Hovannissian initiated a public forum attended by representatives of the Armenian Diaspora and Congressman Frank Pallone.
With this forum the visit of the Karabakh delegation to the United States ended.
Ghoukassian also visited the residence of the Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in New York. Ghoukassian was accompanied by Karabakh Foreign Minister Naira Melkoumian–Armenia’s permanent representative to UN Movses Abelian–Karabakh representative to Washington Tevan Poghossian and other officials.
At first president and his entourage visited the St. Vardan’s Cathedral.
Thereafter–at the residence of the Primate–the Karabakh delegation met with Catholicos of All Armenia’s Karekin I and Primate of the Eastern Diocese Archbishop Khajag Barsamian.
Karekin I–who after surgery has some speech difficulties–wrote on a small slate greetings–wishes of success and some questions which were read out by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian. This was the first official meeting the Catholicos has held since the surgery.
"Your Holiness–the leadership and people of Armenia and Karabakh miss You," Karabakh president said in response to Catholicos’ greetings.
Briefing the Catholicos on goals of his visit to the United States–Karabakh president said that he was satisfied with results of the visit. Ghoukassian noted that the United States and a number of European countries have changed for the better their attitude towards Karabakh. The president also reported that some US oil companies have lost their interest towards Azeri oil–since earlier statemen’s about oil reserves in Azerbaijan do not correspond to the real state of affairs.
"Azerbaijan is being pressured to resolve the problem with the consent of both countries. This moment should be correctly used. We hope that we will be able to achieve success," the president said.
Ghoukassian also reported about his news conference at the UN Headquarters and meetings with American philanthropists of Armenian origin. He said that agreemen’s were reached to provide financial assistance to Karabakh and promote the creation of new jobs.
