Artsakh President Bako Sahakian (right) presents his “State of the Republic” address to the National Assembly

Artsakh President Bako Sahakian on Wednesday said that the possibility of constructing a third highway between Armenia and Artsakh that would run from Kapan to Hardrut and through Mekhakavan, formerly known as Jebrayil, was being discussed.

Sahakian said that the issue had been broached with Armenian government authorities, as well as the Armenia Fund, which oversaw the construction of the other roads—the Goris-Stepanakert highway and the recently opened Vartenis-Martakert highway.

The Artsakh leader was responding to questions from members of the Artsakh parliament during his annual presentation of his “State of the Republic” address.

In response to a question regarding a potential third highway from Armenian Revolutionary Federation parliament bloc leader Davit Ishkhanian, Sahakian explained that preliminary discussion have taken place with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Armenia’s President Armen Sarkissian and Armenia’s transport minister, as well as the leadership of the Armenia Fund.

The official ribbon-cutting of the Vartenis-Martakert highway in Sept. 2017

“During the joint Armenia and Artsakh security council session, I brought up the issue of a national agenda, which was welcomed by Armenia’s prime minister and my other colleagues,” said Sahakian. “A third road connecting Artsakh with Armenia is priorities on the agenda.”

“We cannot say that the Vartenis-Martakert highway is more important than the proposed Kapan-Hadrut highway because they are both have equal significance for our country,” added Sahakian.

“Answers to questions about the fate of the liberated territories must be in the form of projects such as this [the third highway], because they are more succinct than any clever answer that might be given,” said Sahakian, explaining that the Armenia Fund has already undertaken feasibility studies, which will be presented in the near future.

“The construction of the highway in that area is one of the most needed projects, which will greatly benefit our other strategic goals—the development of the Arax [River] valley,” said Sahakian.

This was in line with Sahakian’s emphasis on strengthening the national security of Artsakh, which he highlighted during the “State of the Republic” address. He also reiterated the need for Artsakh’s participation in the Karabakh conflict resolution negotiation process.

“The position of official Stepanakert remains unchanged. Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict settlement should go on peacefully in the sidelines of the OSCE Minsk Group with the participation of Artsakh as a full-fledged party of the negotiations,” emphasized Sahakian.