On 27 December at the Officer’s Palace of capital Stepanakert took place a meeting of the NKR Defense Army’s Military Council convoked to sum-up the activities of the army in 2008. During the meeting President of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic Bako Sahakyan delivered a comprehensive speech.

In his speech the head of state particularly said:

“Generals and officers,
Respected participants,

I am glad to greet all of you. It is the hard and consecutive work carried out army and people that has enabled us to gather today and sum up the results of the year in the conditions of tranquility and peace.

During the current year we succeeded in defending and further strengthening the borders of our country, raising fighting efficiency of the Defense Army, ameliorating social conditions of the servicemen, solving a number of security issues.

Aggressive and anti-Armenian policy waged by the authorities of Azerbaijani, sharp drastic increases in military spending, frequent violations of the cease-fire regime require us to be more vigilant and purposeful in strengthening defense potential of the country. The issues related to state security, army building, combat readiness of the servicemen represent call of the times for us.

As a supreme commander-in-chief today I can declare with great satisfaction and pride that the Nagorno Karabagh Republic Defense Army is strong and battle-worthy, it is ready to rebuff any encroachment of the enemy. The neutralization of the enemy's subversive actions in this March and November by our soldiers is the best evidence of that. The state has valued the subversive and heroism of the servicemen.

It is symbolic that servicemen representing different generations fought together against the enemy. This is the embodiment of smooth alternation of generations and a strong commitment to keep good traditions. The very fact that every year the army is remaned by servicemen with higher military education, their number, by the way, has already surpassed 1000 people, indicates that special attention is paid to the cadre issue. I have given appropriate instructions to the government for employment assistance to officers demobilized from the armed forces.

The results of current and general inspections, as well as military maneuvers also show high level of combat readiness and fighting strength. It is worth mentioning that successful completion of the recent offensive war games has demonstrated that the Defense Army not only effectively protects our borders but if necessary it is able to transfer military operations deep into the territory of an aggressor state and enforce it to accept peace. However, we must keep being watchful not to allow the enemy event think about taking the initiative and dictate his will to us. Everybody must realize that the independence and security of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic are not matter of speculations once and for all.

Activities directed to strengthening our borders make efficient patrolling carried out in the positions.

I have given instructions and orders concerning army building, the situation along the line of contact, amelioration of social conditions of the servicemen and other related issues during consultations with the supreme command staff of the army. The last such consultation took place on 15 of December. I was reported that the discussed issues have been brought to the notice of appropriate chains, so I will not touch upon those questions. However, I would like to underline once again the importance of issues related to armaments, logistics, intelligence, aid defense, military discipline. Elaborating effective ways to find solve these issues will have a palpable impact on strengthening the country’s defense capacity and combat readiness.

I consider positive considerable reduction of the enemy’s activities along the line of contact, which were the results of proper exercise of intelligence activities and control of the situation.

I consider important maintaining proper discipline in military units. Of course, in military units exercising combat duties along the line of contact in a situation of constant tensions extraordinary cases cannot be excluded. However, necessary steps should be taken to minimize cases of deaths and injuries of servicemen that take place under other circumstances. Special attention should be paid to the issue of carrying out daily duties of the commanders and officers on the basis of utmost responsibility, high discipline and self-conscience, maximal attentiveness towards the subordinate. Any inappropriate causality casts negative impact on the morale and fighting efficiency of the army, on its image and on further strengthening the society-army ties.

The fighting efficiency of the army is directly connected with social conditions of the servicemen and their families. For this very reason the state keeps in the spotlight the progress of work related to these issues. The defender of the Fatherland should be as free of everyday necessities of life as possible, so that to carry out his duties adequately. Within this context I consider positive the fact that in 2008 around 130 servicemen were provided with comfortable apartments. This practice will be of a continuing nature.

The authorities pay special attention to the needs of the families of the perished, missing-in-action and wounded freedom fighters. Serious work has been carried out to solve their social problems, including those related to housing, life conditions, health and education. Parallel with this I consider important assistance of the state in full integration of the disable into the society. The program of providing hand operation cars to the first disability group freedom fighters pursues this very purpose. I am confident that this policy will have a positive impact on further strengthening healthy moral and psychological atmosphere both in the armed forces and in the society.

In different fields of activities in our country, in public life, in ameliorating socioeconomic conditions of veterans and the disable, in patriotic upbringing of the younger generation the Union of Freedom Fighters of Artsakh plays an important role. The authorities of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic rated high active participation of freedom fighters that contribute to the development and prosperity of the Fatherland and will keep providing assistance to the activities of the union in every possible way

Dear participants, I would like to mention that the participation of the President of the Republic in such meetings will become traditional. This will enable to make more effective the activities of the Defence Army, a sphere of vital importance to our country.

Summarizing my speech, I would like to congratulate the whole personnel of our army on successful completion of the year and praiseworthy realization of the assigned task. I also congratulate you on the coming New Year and Christmas and wish everybody personal happiness, good health and peace”.