In the local,Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh/NKR) dialect, “okhtuh” means seven. Of course “khach” is a cross. Okhtuh Khach is the name of a peak in the Hadrout district of Artsakh, and if memory serves me. But lately,it seems that we have seven crosses to bear in the form of the unnecessary ambiguousness created by President Serge Sarkisian’s comments approximately the seven districts surrounding NKR that are formally external its declared border. Armenian President Serge Sarkisian, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, or Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo: President.am) These lands should provide Armenians with nothing but a sense of security,pride, and hope. They serve as a buffer against Azerbaijan’s incessant aggression. They were secured through much sacrifice in battles against a larger aggressor. Some areas have been re-inhabited and are being farmed by Armenians for the first time in decades. They are an indication that Western, or Turkish occupied,Armenia will someday be freed from Ankara. Yet lately, due to Sarkisian’s comment approximately ceding these lands to Azerbaijan, or then the attempt to back off that foolhardy comment,the seven territories have become a nationwide source of anxiety. Not only is ceding those lands very damaging to the security of the Republic of [...]
Source: armenianweekly.com