| January 3 |
Seven agreements were signed
in Yerevan with visiting Iranian Vice President Hasan Habibi who headed
a high level delegation for meetings with Armenian leaders. Habibi
is the highest level Iranian government official to visit Armenia
since independence five years ago. Speaking to reporters after meeting
with Habibi, Armenia's President Levon Ter-Petrossian called the talks
a "turning point" in relations between the two neighboring
countries. |
| January 17 |
Thirteen major Armenian-American
organizations sent a telegram to U.S. President Bill Clinton, expressing
disappointment that the president's declared policy of neutrality
in the Karabagh question was reversed at the recent O.S.C.E. summit
in Lisbon. |
| January 24 |
Speaking in London at a
two-day conference on Transcaucasia, Senior Presidential Advisor Jirair
Libaridian said Armenia will not negotiate with Azerbaijan without
participation by N.K.R. Noting that direct contacts between the presidents
of Azerbaijan and Karabagh may significantly contribute to the conflict's
settlement, he said Armenia's decision is in response to last month's
O.S.C.E. Lisbon summit. |
| January 31 |
Armenian Issues Caucus
Cochair Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) made his first trip to Armenia and
Nagorno Karabagh this week, on a fact-finding mission sponsored by
the Armenian Assembly of America. He was joined by Anne Huiskes of
Virginia Republican Rep. Frank Wolf's office. |
| February 21 |
Armenia's Foreign Ministry
denied allegations by Russia's Minister for C.I.S. Relations Aman
Tuleyev that millions of dollars in illegal Russian arms shipments
were sent to Armenia. Russia's ambassador in Yerevan, Andrei Urnov,
also denied any knowledge of illegal arms deliveries and said that
all arms supplied to Armenia are made in accordance with existing
bilateral defense agreements. |
| March 7 |
Prime Mimister Armen Sarkissian
resigns for health reasons. |
| March 21 |
The long awaited choice
of a new prime minister for Armenia ended on March 20 when President
Levon Ter-Petrossian appointed the President of the Nagorno Karabagh
Republic, Robert Kocharian |
| April 25 |
As is customary in the
U.S. Congress, members commemorated the Armenian Genocide by making
commemorative floor statements. |
| May 2 |
Leaders of the Black Sea
region, including Armenia's President Ter-Petrossian, met in Istanbul,
for the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Conference (BSEC). |
| May 30 |
A top-level delegation
is enroute to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Nagorno Karabagh in a new attempt
by the O.S.C.E. to gain a political settlement of the Karabagh conflict.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott is accompanied by counterparts
from Russia and France. |
| September 5 |
The full House of Representatives
voted approval September 4 of the foreign aid bill for fiscal year
1998 by a vote of 375 to 49. The bill included $95 million in aid
to Armenia and kept all earlier sanctions against Azerbaijan, as called
for in Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, except one, a Senate
amendment that would fund U.S. government programs to promote democratization
in Azerbaijan.
Foreign Minister Arkady Ghoukassian was elected President of the Nagorno
Karabagh Republic September 1 with 89.3% of the vote. |
| September 12 |
In his first decree as
President of Nagorno Karabagh, Arkady Ghukasian named Leonard Petrossian
Prime Minister. |
| November 7 |
Arriving in Paris, Armenian
Prime Minister Robert Kocharian comments on the latest draft peace
plan put forth by the Organization on Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE). Kocharian rejects the OSCE's proposed "staged"
solution and instead endorses the comprehensive "package"
approach favored by Karabagh. |
| December 1 |
The Nagorno Karabagh parliament
elects Oleg Yessayan as parliamentary speaker by a vote of 27-4. The
position has been vacant since September, following the resignation
of Artur Tovmassian. The new speaker was only recently elected to
the parliament, but served for about nine months as Nagorno Karabagh
Prime Minister in 1992. |
| 2 December |
Armenian opposition leader
and former presidential candidate Vazgen Manukian states that real
democratization and renewed public trust in the government, together
with a strong national army, is the only way to help Armenia and Nagorno
Karabagh secure a "just solution" to the Karabagh conflict.
Manukian also comments on his recent visit to South America (home
to communities totaling over 100,000 Armenians), stressing that the
region's transition from military rule to democracy is "an experience
very useful for Armenia which has retreated from democracy since 1991." |
| December 3-4 |
Nearly all of the country's
major newspapers, nine news agencies and a radio station stage a one-day
strike to protest the Ter Petrosian government's policies regarding
the media. The editors issue a joint statement calling on the government
to restructure the state agency responsible for newspaper distribution,
demanding tax exemptions for the media, and urging the government
to grant them ownership of the state-owned facilities which they currently
lease. Prime Minister Robert Kocharian meets with the editors the
next day in an effort to diffuse the crisis. The prime minister rejects
the demand for tax exemptions, but promises to propose to parliament
that a new set of state subsidies to the media be included in the
1998 state budget.
A delegation of officials from the three-nation co-chairs of the Minsk
Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
arrives in Stepanakert. The delegation is scheduled to meet with Nagorno
Karabagh Foreign Minister Naira Melkoumian, Defense Minister Samvel
Babayan and Prime Minister Leonard Petrosian. Nagorno Karabagh President
Arkady Gukasyan is reportedly sick and unable to attend the meetings.
The officials review the latest draft peace plan developed by the
OSCE's working group on the Karabagh conflict, the so-called "Minsk
Group," in preparation for the upcoming OSCE Council of Ministers
summit in Copenhagen. Some senior Karabagh officials have criticized
the draft plan because it "predetermines a status full of ambiguities"
for Nagorno Karabagh. The OSCE delegation arrives from Yerevan where
it held several meetings with Armenian government officials.
The Armenian "Organizational Committee in Support of Nagorno
Karabagh" issues an appeal to the summit meeting of the Islamic
Conference Organization (ICO) convening in Tehran. The appeal, issued
to all Islamic nations and organizations, calls for a fair and accurate
consideration of the Nagorno Karabagh issue, stressing that the conflict
has no religious undertones and should be regarded exclusively in
terms of the right of self-determination. According to the organization's
chairman, Aram Sarkisian, the statement seeks to prevent any pro-Azerbaijani
propaganda from unfairly influencing the summit's participants. Sarkisian
is also the head of the Armenian opposition Democratic Party of Armenia
and has recently been staged several rallies in support of Karabagh. |
| December 4 |
During a parliamentary
debate over the government's proposed 1998 budget, several political
groups criticize the draft budget for "failing to promote the
development" of Armenia. The parliament requests that the government
revise the draft before its consideration. A government spokesman,
however, states that it may seek a vote of confidence as a speedy
means toward adoption of the draft budget. According to the terms
of the Armenian constitution, should the government call for a vote
of confidence and win the vote, the draft legislation automatically
is adopted as law. Interestingly, much of the parliamentary opposition
to the government's draft budget comes from the "Republic"
coalition which is dominated by the ruling Armenian National Movement
(ANM).
Nagorno Karabagh officials, commenting on the recent meetings with
the delegation of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE), reaffirm their earlier diplomatic position rejecting
the OSCE's "staged" proposal calling on Karabagh to withdraw
all of its forces from areas outside of Karabagh prior to a final
determination of the republic's status. The Karabagh government advocates
a comprehensive "package" approach whereby a single accord
would settle all elements of dispute and negotiation. |
| December 5 |
A delegation of representatives
from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE),
currently engaged in mediating the Nagorno Karabagh conflict, returns
to Yerevan following two days of meetings with Karabagh government
officials. The OSCE delegation meets with President Ter Petrosian
before traveling to Baku to hold talks with Azerbaijani officials
the same day. |
| December 12 |
The Armenian Supreme Court
concludes its sentencing for the "trial of 31," several
of whose defendants are members of the banned Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF), the country's largest opposition party. The trial
focused on charges that the defendants, arrested in July 1995, conspired
to overthrow the government through terrorism, murder and treason.
While these charges were ultimately dismissed, the court did convict
many of the defendants on lesser charges and sentenced the key defendant,
prominent ARF figure Vahan Hovanesian, to a four-year prison term.
Nineteen other defendants are sentenced to prison terms ranging from
two-and-a-half to seven years. Four other defendants are convicted
of murdering two policemen and one is sentenced to death. The trial,
which began in March 1996 and lasted over eighteen months, was criticized
by several international human rights groups for its irregular and
often illegal proceedings, disregard for the defendants' rights, and
for a lack of evidence. |
| December 15 |
Armenian government officials
announce that foreign investment in the country is expected to reach
some $70-80 million for 1997. The foreign investment includes the
recently privatized telecommunications firm Armentel, as well as major
investments by Coca-Cola, and Midland Bank. According to government
statistics, there are a total of 766 joint ventures in operation,
over fifty percent of which are engaged in trade. Russia is the largest
investor in Armenia, while other significant investing nations include
Iran, the United States, France, Georgia, and Germany.
The Nagorno Karabagh foreign ministry issues a statement to the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) calling on the OSCE
to formalize Nagorno Karabagh's status as an equal participant in
the mediation effort seeking a negotiated solution to the Karabagh
conflict. The statement further calls for the adoption of a formal
document at the upcoming OSCE summit "fostering a resumption
of negotiations and containing no preconditions that will predetermine
their results."
A demonstration of some 10,000 people is held in Yerevan to protest
the perceived readiness of the Ter Petrosian government to sign a
peace agreement which would restore Azerbaijani control over Nagorno
Karabagh. The government faces a growing resentment based on the widely-held
belief that Yerevan is willing to end the Karabagh conflict any way
it can in order to devote all of its attention to economic growth.
The government refutes these charges, however, and promises to maintain
a firm stand regarding the Karabagh issue. |
| December 18 |
Following a visit to Georgia,
the head of the Russian Gazprom firm, Rem Vyakhirev, arrives in Yerevan
to review the planned export of Russian natural gas to Turkey through
Armenia and Georgia. The plan envisions the utilization of the existing
natural gas pipeline through Georgia and Armenia which has a capacity
of 12 billion cubic meters. During the meeting with Armenian government
officials, the Gazprom executive formalizes the creation of a $271
million joint Russian-Armenian natural gas firm with additional investment
by the international ITERA energy firm. The new firm will handle all
shipments of Russian natural gas to Armenia and its eventual sale
to Turkey.
In an address to the Council of Ministers summit meeting of the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Copenhagen, Foreign
Minister Alexander Arzoumanian states that mediation efforts have
been stalled by Azerbaijan's refusal to engage in direct negotiations
with Nagorno Karabagh and by the OSCE's 1996 statement pre-determining
Karabagh's status within Azerbaijan. Arzoumanian accuses Azerbaijan
of seeking a military solution to the conflict and calls for a resumption
of negotiations, without preconditions, in which Karabagh holds full
status as a party to the conflict. The foreign minister adds that
any settlement must allow for Karabagh's "full control over its
territory" and the establishment of security guarantees for Karabagh
and a "geographic contour that will end its enclave situation."
The Armenian foreign minister also announces opposition to the OSCE's
preference for a "staged" approach to the settlement. Nagorno
Karabagh favors a comprehensive "package" solution which
addresses all issues of the conflict simultaneously.
18 December: Armenian National Security and Interior Minister Serzh
Sarkisian announces that growing corruption and related "economic
crimes" are his ministry's most pressing tasks. The minister
states that the current legal framework does not provide law enforcement
with enough powers to combat the growing threat of corruption and
organized crime. Sarkisian stresses the "extremely dangerous"
situation of ties between the criminal groups and various levels of
the Armenian government.
A Council of Ministers summit meeting of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) convenes in Copenhagen. One of the
items on the agenda is a review of the draft OSCE peace plan for the
Nagorno Karabagh conflict. The three nations sharing the responsibilities
of chairing the OSCE working group on the conflict, France, Russia
and the United States, each present their report on the status of
the negotiations. Last year's OSCE summit in Lisbon made no significant
progress in mediating the conflict and Armenia stood alone against
the wording of the OSCE resolution affirming the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan and defining Nagorno Karabagh as a part of Azerbaijan
proper with no consideration of it right to self-determination. |
| December 19 |
The current chairman of
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Danish
Foreign Minister Niels Helveg, issues a statement at the conclusion
of the OSCE summit in Copenhagen. The OSCE chairman admits that although
there has been progress in the mediation effort, there must be a renewal
of negotiations for all parties to move closer to settling the Karabagh
conflict. The Armenian delegation at the summit opposes the adoption
of a reiteration of the 1996 Lisbon protocol whereby Azerbaijan's
territorial integrity would be recognized while Karabagh would be
granted a vague form of autonomy and promises of future security guarantees.
The summit fails to adopt any decision although Russia was reportedly
ready to accept the Lisbon draft while France and the United States
were allegedly more willing to hear Armenia's objections. |
| December 24 |
Commenting on the recent
Copenhagen summit of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE), Nagorno Karabagh Foreign Minister Naira Melkoumian
states that progress in the mediation effort can only be found through
direct negotiations between Karabagh and Azerbaijan. The Karabagh
official also criticized Russia for adopting a much more rigid position
and for exhibiting a significantly pro-Azerbaijani bias in recent
months. Melkoumian characterizes the summit as "unsatisfactory"
for failing to address Karabagh's calls to be recognized as an equal
party to the conflict. Although commending the Armenian delegation's
stance at the summit, the foreign minister adds that it did not bring
Yerevan's position on settling the conflict any closer to Stepanakert's
position. |
| December 27 |
The Armenian parliament
votes to adopt the government's 1998 draft budget by a wide margin.
Parliamentary deputies agree to the government's proposal calling
for an increase in the excise tax on gasoline in return for the granting
of a wage increase for government employees and other provisions that
had figured in the 1995 election platform of the ruling Republic (Hanrapetutiun)
coalition. |
| December 29 |
Government spokesmen report
on the recent parliamentary passage of the government's budget for
1998. Of an overall budget of 212.4 billion dram ($428 million), 33.3
billion dram are allocated for defense spending. The budget for social
programs stands at 21.2 billion dram, 4.4 billion dram more than in
1997. A budget deficit of 50.9 billion dram, or about 5.5 percent
of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), down from the current
level of 6.7 percent, is to be financed by domestic resources, income
from privatization, and lending from international financial organizations.
The budget projects an inflation rate of 13 percent and real GDP growth
of 5.2 percent for 1998. |
| December 30 |
Commenting on the political
situation in the country throughout 1997, the ruling Armenian National
Movement (ANM) and the largest opposition party, the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF), each give their assessments. According to ANM leader,
Yerevan Mayor Vano Siradeghian, relations between the government and
the opposition have remain unchanged, while the most significant changes
have been within the government itself. The ARF spokesperson agrees
that the strained relations have continued despite numerous attempts
at forging a positive political dialogue. The opposition adds that
the Armenian economy is still controlled by a few pro-government "clans,"
leading to the stifling of free enterprise and fair competition. Concerning
Nagorno Karabagh, the opposition states that the recent statements
by President Ter Petrosian reflecting a diplomatic softening of Armenia's
position has led to a weakening of Karabagh's international position. |