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May
6 |
President
Robert Kocharian issues a decree removing the governmental ban on
the activities of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) imposed
by the Ter Petrosian government in December 1994. The decree follows
the justice ministry's decision in February to lift the ban on the
party after reaching an official determination that the ARF is in
full compliance with legal requirements concerning political parties.
The ARF, the country's largest opposition party during the Ter Petrosian
Administration, was particularly singled out by the previous government
in an effort to marginalize and repress the Armenian political opposition
and its media.
Speaking at a press conference during a visit to Germany, Armenian
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian states that for the internationally
mediated negotiations on the Nagorno Karabagh conflict to be successful,
they must be conducted without any preconditions. Reaffirming Armenia's
position on the mediation effort of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Oskanian states that Yerevan finds
any approach that leaves Nagorno Karabagh within Azerbaijan proper
as "unacceptable." The foreign minister adds that if all
parties to the conflict can come to a basic agreement, there would
be no need for outside peacekeepers. Following a meeting with Oskanian,
the German representative to the OSCE working group on Karabagh, Frank
Lambach, notes that in contrast to the statements of other diplomats,
he finds the Armenian position on the conflict "pragmatic"
and "capable of promoting a solution to the conflict." The
German official adds that the existing conflict resolution models
advanced by the OSCE are not applicable to the Karabagh conflict and
a new revised peace plan should be drafted. |
May
7 |
The
leader of the "Yerkrapah" parliamentary bloc, Smbat Ayvazian,
announces that it will transform itself into a proper political party
in preparation for the next round of legislative elections. The Yerkrapah
bloc, the largest group within the parliament with 70 deputies in
the 190-seat legislature, is the only political group advocating a
new electoral system consisting of mainly single-member constituencies.
Throughout the parliamentary debate underway over the country's new
electoral laws, most political parties are seeking a revised ratio
of seats determined by single-mandate constituencies and proportional
representation. The Yerkrapah leader adds that there can be no cooperation
with either the Armenian Communist or the former ruling Armenian National
Movement (ANM). |
May
8 |
The
former ruling Armenian National Movement (ANM) executive board votes
24 - 2 to endorse the continued leadership of former Yerevan Mayor
Vano Siradeghian. Siradeghian, also a former interior minister and
close associate of former president Levon Ter Petrosian, faces significant
internal ANM opposition, most notably by former parliamentary speaker
Babken Ararktsian and former central bank head Bagrat Asatrian.
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May
11 |
President
Robert Kocharian appoints David Vartanian, a leading member of the
National Democratic Union, as the new chief of the oversight service
within the presidential administration. The head of the National Democratic
Union, Vazgen Manukian, garnered 12 percent of the vote in the first
round of the March presidential election and criticized the election
as "neither free nor fair." This nomination follows the
recently announced appointment of Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(ARF) member and former parliamentarian Roland Sharoyan as the new
minister of Culture, Sport and Youth Affairs.
Armenian Foreign Minister Oskanian signs a formal protocol on ministerial
cooperation and consultation between Armenia and Karabagh with his
Karabagh counterpart, Naira Melkoumian. The agreement provides for
the coordination of diplomatic and political policies with a specific
focus on the formulation of policies regarding the international mediation
of the Karabagh conflict. |
May
12 |
Meeting
with President Kocharian and Prime Minister Armen Darbinian in Yerevan,
Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
Boris Berezovskii discusses plans for the expansion of economic cooperation
between Armenia and the CIS. The officials also review the status
of the international mediation effort of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict.
The internal dispute over the management of the government-funded
Russian language "Respublika Armeniya" daily newspaper escalates
as the newspaper staff goes on strike over the parliamentary appointment
of Shamiram Aghabekian as the new editor. The appointment replaces
current editor Ashot Gazazian, who enjoys the support of the paper's
staff. |
| May
12-13 |
Prime
Minister Darbinian submits his government's economic program to the
parliament. The plan proposes to contain inflation, seeks annual growth
of six percent in the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and
calls for a new tax stimulus package aimed at encouraging investment
and job creation. According to the details released to the press,
the plan also envisions an additional $1 billion in revenue over the
next five years from continued privatization. The prime minister also
commits his government to completing the reconstruction of the earthquake-damaged
northern regions of the country by the year 2001. Although the program
is criticized by nearly all factions, the parliament adopts the plan
following little substantial debate. |
| May
13 |
The
parliament begins consideration of a new electoral law proposed by
the Communist faction calling for a new ratio of 100 seats to be chosen
by party list and 31 to be selected by single-member constituencies.
The majority Yerkrapah bloc opposes the proposal's emphasis on proportional
representation and expresses its desire to revise the 100-31 ratio
downward to a new ratio of 80 to 51 seats.
Representatives of the three co-chairing nations of the working group
on Karabagh of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) meet with Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian in Yerevan. The
Armenian foreign minister briefs the OSCE officials on his government's
position on the Karabagh issue and reaffirms Armenia's rejection of
any phased or staged approach by the OSCE, insisting on a comprehensive
package peace plan incorporating all issues and elements of negotiation.
Armenia also calls for the establishment of direct, bilateral talks
between Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabagh. The visit of the OSCE delegation,
the first since the new Armenian government came to power, comprises
of meetings with Armenian, Azerbaijani and Karabagh officials. The
delegation is led by, Jacques Vogier of France, Yuri Yukalov of Russia,
and Lynn Pascoe of the United States. |
| May 14 |
Parliament
Chairman Khosrov Harutiunian announces his opposition to any plan
to dissolve the parliament and hold early elections. The current parliament
is serving a four-year term which will not expire until the summer
of next year.
Arriving from Yerevan, officials of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) meet with Karabagh leaders in Stepanakert.
Karabagh Foreign Minister Naira Melkoumian and President Arkady Gukasyan
reaffirm their government's commitment to forging a peaceful solution
to the conflict and request that the OSCE negotiations resume, but
stress their insistence on securing adequate security guarantees for
the Karabagh population. |
| May
15 |
A three-member
delegation from Nagorno Karabagh begins a 17-day tour of the United
States and Canada to promote closer relations with the various organizations
based in the diaspora. The delegation includes Minister of Culture
Armen Sargsian, culture ministry sports representative Gary Balayan
and noted actress and activist Zhanna Galstian. |
| May 18 |
In a ceremony
at the U.S. embassy in Yerevan, two leading Armenian non-governmental
organizations, the Yerevan Press Club and the Armenian Helsinki Association,
each receive the first annual joint European Union-United States Democracy
and Civil Society awards for accomplishments in "promoting democracy
and a market economy and the protection of human rights." The
awards also comprise $20,000 in cash grants. |
| May 19 |
President
Kocharian appoints an ad hoc committee, headed by former presidential
candidate and current presidential adviser on legal reform Pariur
Hairikian, charged with the coordination of constitutional amendments
and revisions. The appointment is seen as the fulfillment of a significant
campaign pledge to address the calls by many political parties and
groups for various constitutional changes. The existing constitution
was drafted by a number of officials and allies of the Ter Petrosian
government and established a system of government marked by a strong
executive, a weakened legislature and a judiciary without significant
independence.
Meeting with Israeli Ambassador to Armenia Ehud Moshe Eidman, President
Kocharian says that his government in very interested in the Israeli
experience in developing agriculture and technology and will seek
to expand bilateral economic cooperation. The Israeli ambassador,
based in Tbilisi, presents his credentials to the Armenian president
and attends a celebration organized by the country's Jewish community
to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of Israel.
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| May 20 |
Prosecutor-General
Henrik Khachatrian announces significant progress in the investigation
into the murder of several prominent figures during 1993 and 1994.
The victims in these high profile murder cases include the former
head of the country's railways, Hambartsoum Ghandilian, former Yerevan
Mayor Hambartsoum Galstian, former Armenian KGB chairman Marius Yuzbashian
and Writers' Union head Vardges Petrossian. Although details of these
investigations are not released, Khachatrian states that an arrest
warrant has been issued for Romik Ghazarian, the former head of Ter
Petrosian's security service who is currently living in Moscow.
Transportation Minister Yervand Zarkarian states that one of his leading
priorities is to ensure the reliability and efficiency of the country's
external railway and communication links through neighboring Georgia.
Zarkarian adds that he is seeking EU financing for the modernization
of the Yerevan-Gumri-Batumi highway.
A meeting is held in Yerevan between Armenian Prime Minister Armen
Darbinian and Nagorno Karabagh Prime Minister Leonard Petrosian to
finalize plans for accelerated economic integration. Specific programs
coordinating taxation, customs and monetary policies are reviewed.
The Armenian prime minister also announces plans for government assistance
to help establish a state treasury in Karabagh. |
| May
21 |
Armenian
Foreign Minister Oskanian states that the current Armenian position
regarding the Nagorno Karabagh conflict advocates neither outright
independence for Karabagh nor its unification with Armenia. The foreign
minister adds that Armenia favors a comprehensive negotiated solution
to the conflict with Nagorno Karabagh having "new horizontal
relations with Azerbaijan" and excluding any "subordination"
to Azerbaijan. This statement follows earlier comments by Karabagh
President Arkady Gukasyan announcing that Karabagh is a "de facto
independent state" but is willing to compromise on "concluding
parity and treaty relations with Azerbaijan." Armenian Parliamentary
Speaker Khosrov Harutiunian also issues a clarification of Armenia's
position by saying that the agreement on bilateral cooperation between
the parliaments of Karabagh and Armenia constitutes "de facto,
but not de jure, recognition of the independence of Nagorno Karabagh."
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| May
22 |
Turkish
Military Chief of Staff, General Ismail Hakki Karadayi, announces
that he is close to concluding a formal agreement with his Russian
counterpart on the formation of a joint Russian-Turkish military "rapid
reaction force" to be deployed in the Caucasus during crises.
The Turkish military official also states that the force may be used
for peacekeeping duties in the region, including possible deployment
along the Azerbaijani border with Nagorno Karabagh. |
| May
23 |
A
diplomatic dispute between the Armenian and Turkish foreign ministries
erupts over the selection of the site for the next bi-annual summit
of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Turkey is seeking to host the summit in Istanbul in 1999, but is opposed
by Armenia. Yerevan officials have stated that they may not participate
in the OSCE summit if it convenes in Turkey, a country which has no
diplomatic relations with Armenia and has engaged in an active transport
and communications blockade of Armenia for the past five years.
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| May 25-26 |
President
Gukasyan and Prime Minister Petrosian meet with a visiting U.S. Congressional
delegation led by Representatives Frank Pallone and Patrick Kennedy
in Yerevan. During discussions with the Congressmen, the Karabagh
president stresses the need for direct bilateral talks with Azerbaijan
as the most effective means to securing a fair solution to the conflict.
Additional meetings are held as the delegation travels to Stepanakert,
including a meeting with Parliamentary Speaker Oleg Yessayan during
which an overview of the economic and political reforms being carried
out by the Karabagh government is presented. Both Congressmen are
members of the Congressional Armenian Caucus and have long been involved
with events in Armenia and in the region. |
| May 26 |
In a report
to the parliament, Finance and Economy Minister Eduard Sandoyan reveals
that Armenia's foreign debt has increased to nearly $700 million,
of which 45 percent is debt owed to the World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund (IMF). Sandoyan adds that Armenia owes Russia nearly
$110 million and $52 million in outstanding debt to the European Union
states. |
| May 27 |
Officials
of the prosecutor-general's office announce an investigation into
the operations of the recently-privatized Armentel corporation and
the activities of former Communications Minister Grigor Poghpatian.
Several top Armentel managers are rumored to have been arrested in
connection with an investigation into corruption and bribery related
to the firm's privatization late last year. Ninety percent of Armentel
was sold to the Greek Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE)
for $142.5 million.
The chairman of the Nagorno Karabagh Parliamentary Defense and Security
Committee, Murad Petrosian, calls on Karabagh Prime Minister Leonard
Petrosian to resign to "make way for new people who are clever
and creative organizers such as Karabagh Defense Minister Samvel Babayan."
The parliamentarian also calls for a series of unspecified "radical
changes" in the Karabagh government's economic policies and urges
greater "flexibility" in all areas of government policy
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| May 28 |
In a speech
marking the anniversary of the May 28th founding of the first independent
Republic of Armenia in 1918, President Kocharian highlights the need
for a "powerful army" and states that Armenia must be endowed
with a "strong state structure" and "galloping economic
growth" in order to ensure the survival of the nation in the
complicated and unstable region. |
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