Today we live in a society, which can not 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 introduce developments in Armenia 5, 10 and 15 years ago.

•    15 YEARS AGO: FEBRUARY 24-28, 2005

“A broader involvement in NATO programs”

On 24 February 2005 Defense Minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan stated that “if not for the unsettled conflict, Armenia would have had the opportunity for a broader involvement in various NATO programs”.

He made that remark at the meeting with Robert Simmons, Special Representative of NATO Secretary General in the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

The sensational remarks of John Evans

On February 25 reports emerged that at the meeting with members of Armenian Diaspora of San Francisco on February 19, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans described as “genocide” the mass slaughter of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.

“As someone who's studied it... There’s no doubt in my mind what happened," said Evans. He pointed out that he had also consulted with a State Department lawyer, who had confirmed that the events of 1915 were "genocide by definition."

John Evans

Photo: Photolure

John Evans added that although U.S. administrations avoided using the word "genocide," "no American official has ever denied it."

At the same time, Evans noted: "I think it is unbecoming of us as Americans to play word games here. I believe in calling things by their name.” He underlined that the official policy of the U.S. had not changed.

"The Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century," said Evans, remarking that "we made many mistakes after World War I.”

At the same meeting, John Evans stated that although U.S. conducted a policy of territorial integrity of nations, “everybody realizes that Karabakh can't be given back to Azerbaijan, since that would be a disastrous step”.

On February 28 the United States Embassy in Armenia disseminated the comment of Ambassador John Evans, which read in particular:

“Although I told my audiences that the United States policy on the Armenian tragedy has not changed, I used the term “genocide” speaking in what I characterized as my personal capacity. This was inappropriate.”

A year later, John Evans was withdrawn as Ambassador to Armenia. He had to retire from diplomatic service.

John Evans’s farewell meeting with Armenian President Robert Kocharyan

Photo: Photolure

•    10 YEARS AGO: FEBRUARY 24-28, 2010

Flaring tempers and the St. Poghos-Petros Church

On 25 February 2010 it was announced that Saint Poghos-Petros Church, destroyed in the Soviet era, would be reconstructed in Yerevan downtown.

Saint Poghos-Petros Church

Photo: Khanoyan’s archive

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal of “Moscow” Cinema’s Directorate on handing the area of its summer cinema hall over to Holy Etchmiadzin free of charge for the construction of the church.

The decision caused widespread protest in the society and a campaign was launched against demolition of the summer cinema hall, which is considered a masterpiece of Soviet modernism. The campaign was successful and the summer hall did not get demolished.

“Moscow” cinema’s summer hall at Soviet times

 

“Not a precondition”

Speaking at the hearings in Foreign Affairs Committee of U.S. House of Representatives on February 25, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that settlement of the Karabakh conflict “is not a precondition for starting the process of normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia”.

At the same time, she added, Washington believed that overcoming the conflict “is of central importance in order to provide for regional stability in the Caucasus for a long-term prospect”. According to Clinton, the USA’s stance was that normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations had to take place “without pre-conditions and within a reasonable timeframe”.

On the same day Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan told Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that he considered Ankara’s involvement in the Karabakh conflict settlement impossible because of Turkey’s openly biased stance.

That exchange of views took place in Kiev at the solemn reception on the occasion of Ukrainian President’s inauguration.

Serzh Sargsyan also told Davutoglu that ratification of the Armenia-Turkey protocols had to be completed as soon as possible; otherwise, Armenia would withdraw its signature. “A country that dreams of a region with no borders should be the one to make the first step and lift the blockage of Armenian borders, which will allow opening telecommunication and transport infrastructures in the region. If Azerbaijan’s pressure does not allow the Turkish parliament ratifying the protocols, nothing stands on the way of Turkey’s executive power to open the border it had closed before the ratification of the protocols,” said Sargsyan.

•    5 YEARS AGO: FEBRUARY 24-28, 2015

Armenia “should admit guilt”

On February 25, 2015 Foreign Minister of Turkey Mevlut Chavushoglu stated in Baku that “Armenia should admit its guilt and its hopelessness”.

“Turkey and Azerbaijan commit every effort for the region to develop and prosper, however, Armenia remains out of these projects. If Armenia abandons its aggressive position and withdraws from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, then we will be ready to see this country in our joint projects,” Cavusoglu said at the briefing after the talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov.

The assassination of Boris Nemtsov

Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov was assassinated late at night on February 27 in Moscow downtown.

Photo: REUTERS

Ara Tadevosyan