•    15 YEARS AGO: AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2002

Armenian-American military ties

Minister of Defense of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said on August 28 that Armenian-American military ties are “increasingly” developing.

Delivering a speech at the Center for Humanitarian Demining and Expertise, created with American government’s support, Armenian Defense Minister said that Armenian and American military authorities will soon start the implementation of programs, aimed at training Armenian military personnel and modernizing communication systems in Armenian Armed Forces.

Withdrawal of Russian bases from Georgia

Leader of Virk party in Samtskhe-Javakheti David Rstakyan expressed hope on August 29 that President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze will not support the decree of Georgian parliament on withdrawal of Russian military bases from the territory of Georgia.

Rstakyan said that forced withdrawal of Russian base from Akhalkalaki may entail destabilization in the region, since the base served as guarantor of economic stability for the residents.

Eduard Shevardnadze

Photo: REUTERS

The process of withdrawal began in 2005 and finished in 2007, without destabilizing the situation in Samtskhe-Javakheti.

Republic, Kocharyan and impeachment

Ex-Mayor of Yerevan Albert Bazeyan stated on August 29 that Republic party attached principal importance to soonest impeachment of Armenian President Robert Kocharyan. Bazeyan said that President Kocharyan “violated the Armenian Constitution and exceeded his authority on multiple occasions”.

The process of impeachment did not start.     

Republican Party of Armenia and Kocharyan

Leader of Unity faction Galust Sahakyan stated on September 3 that Republican Party of Armenia “will most likely” support the candidacy of Robert Kocharyan in the upcoming Presidential election in February of 2003.

Galust Sahakyan also remarked that RPA “is ready to share the responsibility of holding fair and transparent elections with President Robert Kocharyan”.

•    10 YEARS AGO: AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2007

Recognition of NKR independence: for and against

Press secretary of Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Karapetyan stated on September 1 that “the time for Armenia’s recognition of the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has not yet come”.

Vladimir Karapetyan

Photo: Vladimir Karapetyan’s archive

This was his commentary about Heritage party’s draft on Armenia’s recognition of the independence of NKR. “Recognition of NKR has always been in the arsenal of our foreign policy. We should use this tool only when it proves the most efficiency for the final settlement of the issue. That time has not yet come,” Vladimir Karapetyan said.

Chairman of Armenian National Assembly Tigran Torosyan stated on September 3 that “by annually approving the decree on providing NK with interstate loan, the Armenian parliament recognizes its independence.”

•    5 YEARS AGO: AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2012

Safarov’s return to Azerbaijan

Ramil Safarov, who was serving life sentence in Hungary for brutal murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan, returned to Azerbaijan on August 31 and immediately received pardon from President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

In a special meeting with foreign ambassadors President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan stated that Armenia has decided to suspend diplomatic relations with Hungary.

“With their joint actions the authorities of Hungary and Azerbaijan have opened the door for the recurrence of such crimes. With this decision they convey a clear message to the butchers. The slaughterers hereafter are well aware of impunity they can enjoy for the murder driven by ethnic or religious hatred,” Armenian President stated.

Protester in Budapest

Photo: REUTERS

Thousands of people poured into streets of Budapest to protest against the actions of Hungarian government led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

5 years have passed since then, while relations with Hungary are still suspended.

Ara Tadevosyan