Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, at a government cabinet session today in Stepanakert, introduced the country’s newly appointed State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan.

Harutyunyan, according to his office, noted that Nersisyan will coordinate the work of all ministries except for the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense and Internal Affairs.

Nersisyan replaces Ruben Vardanyan who was dismissed as state minister last week.

Many believe Vardanyan was removed from the post because he was an impediment to direct negotiations between Stepanakert and Baku and because he increasingly assumed the role of Artsakh foreign affairs negotiator, often overshadowing President Harutyunyan.

Harutyunyan, referring to the ongoing Lachin Corridor closure, said the people of Artsakh will overcome all challenges.

The Artsakh president again ruled out any solution to the Karabakh conflict whereby the country becomes a part of Azerbaijan.

"Once again, I want to emphasize that regardless of the difficulties and various pressures applied to us, we will remain loyal to the ideas of the Artsakh movement and there will be no step back from the path of independence. I want to declare with all responsibility that any integration process with Azerbaijan is excluded. However, this does not mean that we will avoid contacts to solve problems of an infrastructural and humanitarian nature,” Harutyunyan said.