Today we live in a society, which cannot imagine life without expressing views on social media. Probably it does have certain advantages. Nevertheless, many participants of active discussions have already forgotten or do not even know about the developments, which unfolded in Armenia 5, 10 or 15 years ago. 

To fill the gap Mediamax presents 5/10/15 project, which introduces developments in Armenia 5, 10 and 15 years ago.

•    15 YEARS AGO: SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2004

Cancelation of NATO drills in Azerbaijan

On 13 September 2004 NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), U.S. General James Jones called off the Cooperative Best Effort-2004 exercises scheduled in Baku under NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program. The reason for that decision was Azerbaijan's refusal to give entry visas to Armenian officers.

NATO representative told in the interview to Mediamax that General Jones made that decision “because the fundamental principle of exercises under PfP according to which they must be open for all NATO partner-states was violated in connection with Azerbaijan's refusal to give entry visas to Armenian officers”. “NATO regrets that this principle was violated during the organization of the exercises in Azerbaijan,” the Alliance representative said.

James Jones

Photo: REUTERS

On 26 April 2004 Deputy U.S. EUCOM Commander, General Charles Wald said in Yerevan: “President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has personally assured me that the Armenian servicemen will be able to take part in the Cooperative Best Effort-2004.”

On September 13, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan and NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer expressed their concern at a meeting in Brussels that "Azerbaijan hindered the participation of Armenian servicemen in NATO exercises at the highest level".

Vardan Oskanyan rated highly NATO's principled position on this issue, noting that "the cancellation of the exercises because of Azerbaijan is a great loss of an opportunity for regional cooperation". He added that Yerevan's official position was that the authorities of the region’s countries should try to implant the idea of cooperation into the minds of their people, which would help settle conflicts. In that regard, Oskanyan recalled that although Armenia and Turkey had no diplomatic relations, Turkish servicemen had taken part in the Cooperative Best Effort-2003 in Armenia.

•    10 YEARS AGO: SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2009

Oskanyan and ARF vs. the protocols

On 15 September 2009 Former Foreign Minister of Armenia, Head of “Civilitas” Foundation Vardan Oskanyan said he could not put up with the fact that “our country makes concessions to Turkey at all points”.

Vardan Oskanyan

Photo: Photolure

Oskanyan noted that “Turkey has achieved what they have been trying to do since 1991”. According to him, Armenia had to carry out serious discussions of the protocols initialed by the sides, make a political assessment and change the content of protocols.

The former Foreign Minister added that “Armenian authorities should not think of saving face or their own authority; they should rise above that and consider the issue from the point of national interests”.

Vardan Oskanyan also stated that “the protocols are a result of poor negotiating”. He did not rule out the possibility that the initialing of protocols could have been dictated to Armenia by external forces, since “the Armenian diplomacy could not agree to such a step and accept the humiliating conditions which the Turks were trying to dictate to us over the past 10 years”.

On September 15, ARF activists organized demonstrations in Yerevan downtown, protesting against the protocols initialed by Armenia and Turkey.

Photo: Photolure

Sit-ins were held at the Republic Square near the government building and the Foreign Ministry. The protesters demanded resignation of Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.

•    5 YEARS AGO: SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2014

Greek parliament’s vote

On 9 September 2014 Greece criminalized denial of genocides, including the Armenian Genocide.

On the following day the official Yerevan commended the vote of the Greek parliament.

“By adopting this bill, Greece once again proved its commitment to universal values and took an important step towards prevention of genocides and other crimes against humanity”, said Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.

Ara Tadevosyan