Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, in a statement today marking the thirtieth anniversary of the December 10, 1991 independence referendum, said that Russian peacekeepers must stay in Karabakh until a final and just settlement of the conflict is reached.

Harutyunyan said that the Russian peacekeepers and the Artsakh Defense Army have been able to ensure the safety of Armenians in Artsakh.

“I would like to express my deep gratitude to all the servicemen standing in the defense of the motherland, as well as to all members of the peacekeeping force and personally to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose direct efforts have thwarted Turkish aspirations in the region,” Harutyunyan stated.

He said that Artsakh will continue to fight for the unconditional recognition of the people's right to self-determination and the return of the occupied territories.

“One of the main guarantees of keeping Artsakh Armenian and resolving the conflict in our favor is the existence of the Armenian people on their own homeland. In this respect, post-war demographics are quite promising, but serious efforts and resources are needed to achieve the desired results,” he said.