"We will not disband the army, we will not give up independence" - the newly elected head of Karabakh "parliament"

Baku/09.08.23/Turan: David Ishkhanyan, a member of the Dashnaktsutyun Party, who was elected this week as the "head of the parliament" of Karabakh, made a keynote speech the day before.

He made it clear that he would fight for the realization of the right of Karabakh Armenians for independence.

An active participant in the Karabakh movement of 1988, Ishkhanyan accused Yerevan of "washing its hands" in the Karabakh issue and that "we need to look for new ways and partners."

"However, all our efforts will be directed to the implementation of an important strategic goal that was formed in 1988," he said.

He further stressed the importance of preserving and strengthening the Karabakh army as main guarantor of the security system of Karabakh and its people.

Ishkhanyan acknowledged the deterioration of relations between Armenia and Karabakh, calling for strengthening inter-parliamentary ties.

It ought to be noted that the election of Ishkhanyan as the "head of parliament" was met ambiguously in Karabakh. According to Ishkhanyan himself, the current "president" Araik Harutyunyan, as well as two previous separatist leaders, Bako Sahakyan and Arkady Ghukasyan, campaigned for his candidacy.

From Ishkhanyan's statements, it can be concluded that the separatist leaders are preparing the population for a new war and do not intend to recognize Karabakh as an integral part of Azerbaijan, as official Yerevan has already done. -02B-