Yesterday the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) marked the 17-th anniversary of the tragic events in the Azeri town of Sumgait of which tens of innocent Armenians became victims, Arminfo news agency reported. The public of the republic visited the Memorial Complex of the city of Stepanakert and laid flowers and wreaths to the memorial of the victims of the tragedy. The NKR official delegation headed by Republic President Arkady Ghukasian came to pay tribute to the victims of the pogroms. "Sumgait has proved that an Armenian cannot live in Azerbaijan - the Azeri statehood is dangerous for the Armenian nation. Sumgait was the beginning: after Sumgait there were Baku, Kirovabad, Maraga... And the life has proved that our choice was right - were were to create a state, to defend our fatherland. I am sure that Sumgait the options suggested by Azerbaijan today are unreal and absurd, as Sumgait is not a case of individuals, but it is the Azeri state policy,?", - this is how NKR President a. Ghukasian commented on the events in Sumgait. Leader of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Pargev Martirosian has served a liturgy for the repose of the souls of the victims of the Sumgait tragedy.