On 26 August Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan sent a congratulatory address to President of the Republic of South Ossetia Leonid Tibilov.
The address runs as follows:
"On behalf of the authorities, people of the Artsakh Republic and myself I warmly congratulate You and the brotherly people of the Republic of South Ossetia on the 5th anniversary of the state's independence recognition by the Russian Federation.
August 2008 has become one of the most tragic but at the same time heroic pages in the ancient history of the Ossetian people. Through blood of its best sons and daughters the Republic of South Ossetia withstood the foreign aggression, defended its own freedom and preserved state sovereignty. The recognition of South Ossetia's independence by the Russian Federation and other countries has become a reliable guarantee for secure existence and steady development of the country, as well as a guarantee for excluding acts of aggression in the future.
We are sincerely happy to see South Ossetia developing dynamically, addressing successfully the challenges it faces and approaching with confidence its bright future.
I congratulate You once again, respectful Mr. Tibilov, and all entire people of South Ossetia on this jubilee.
Peace and prosperity to the fraternal South Ossetian nation!"

2013-08-26