On 20 August President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan arrived in Lebanon with a working visit. On 21 August the Head of the State met representatives of the “Artsakh Fund” organization at the permanent representation of the Artsakh Republic in the Republic of Lebanon. Bako Sahakyan handed in the “Gratitude” medal to the organization for services shown to the Artsakh Republic in restoring and developing the social sphere. The President rated high the role of the fund in carrying out various projects in the republic noting that Artsakh is interested in widening the activities of the “Artsakh Fund” in our country. On the same day President Sahakyan visited Great House of Cilicia Catholicosate in the town of Antelias and met Catholicos Aram I, Lebanese ministers, members of the parliament and heads of local self-government bodies of Armenian origin, as well as representatives of different Armenian organizations. The Head of the State together with Catholicos Aram I laid flowers to the memorial of the 1915 Genocide victims. A wide range of issues related to the Motherland-Diaspora ties, Artsakh domestic and foreign policy issues were discussed during the meeting. Catholicos Aram I considered the role of Artsakh in the modern Armenian history as a crucial one underlining that its development and strengthening is of vital interest of the whole Armenians. Bako Sahakyan considered important the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity calling it the most important precondition for the development of the Armenian people and the Armenian independent statehood. In this process the President rated high the role of the church too. President Sahakyan subsequently met representatives of the governing structures of the traditional Armenian parties in Lebanon at the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Beirut. Domestic and foreign policy issues of Artsakh were discussed during the meeting. Adviser to the President of the Artsakh Republic Armen Isagoulov, minister of education and science Vladik Khachatryan, head of the Central Information Department of the Office of the Artsakh Republic President David Babayan, permanent representative of the Artsakh Republic in Lebanon Karo Kebabjan accompanied the Head of the State. Minister of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia Hranoush Hakobyan and ambassador of the Republic of Armenia in Lebanon Ashot Kocharyan partook at the events. Central Information Department of the Office of the ARTSAKH REPUBLIC President

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