On February 13, President of the Artsakh Republic (NKR) <b>Bako Sahakyan</b> traveled to Pyatigorsk, the administrative center of the North Caucasus Federal Region of Russia, where he met with the leaders of the Armenian community and of the Stavropol region and local entrepreneurs to discuss ways to strengthen ties between the Motherland and Diaspora. He also attended a festive ceremony at St. Sargis Church.

The next day Mr. Sahakyan met with representatives of the Armenian community of the South of Russia. He briefed on the current situation in Artsakh, socioeconomic development of the republic as well as the current stage and prospects of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement. Special attention was paid to issues related to the development of the Motherland-Diaspora relations. Deepening these ties, as the NKR President underlined, would have a positive effect both on strengthening the independent Armenian statehood and on the consolidation of Diaspora and preserving its national identity.

Mr. Sahakyan also answered numerous questions asked by the meeting participants, reported the Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR President.