Nagorno-Karabakh authorities welcome Russia's recognition of the DPR and LPR

The official Stepanakert has positively assessed Russia's recognition of the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), noting that Nagorno-Karabakh also deserves international recognition.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 21, Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the LPR and DPR; and on February 22, the Federation Council (the upper house of the Russian Parliament) gave consent to Russian President on the use the country's armed forces outside abroad.

"The nations' right to self-determination and building their own statehood is inalienable for every nation and a fundamental principle of the international law," the Nagorno-Karabakh President, Araik Arutyunyan, wrote in a statement made on behalf of his people.

He has stated: "The Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) has been fighting for decades for its freedom, security and the formation of its statehood; it has repeatedly had to go through various hardships. Therefore, we are convinced that the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), which has the necessary and indisputable historical, political, legal and moral foundations, has deserved the international recognition as a sovereign state."

"The Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) has every reason to be recognized as an independent state," David Babayan, the Nagorno-Karabakh Foreign Minister, was quoted as saying in the Armenian press.

"The Russia's recognition of the DPR and LPR is a historic event, which should also be seen as a serious attempt to prevent a geopolitical crisis in Ukraine," he has added.