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: SEPTEMBER 5-11, 2007
In 26+1 format
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer discussed on September 5 issues of organization of NATO-Armenia political consultations in 26+1 format.
Vartan Oskanian stated the importance of implementing the measures, provided for by the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) of Armenia with NATO.
In particular, the minister noted, there is the Conception of the National Security of Armenia elaborated, Information Center on NATO has opened in Yerevan, and work is in process for establishing a situation center for crisis management in Armenia, there are a number of legislative initiatives forwarded for the realization of defense reforms.
On September 6 Oskanian stated about the readiness of Armenia to continue and develop the effective political dialogue with NATO.
“Dashnaktsutiun” to vote against
On September 7 head of “Dashnaktsutiun” faction Hrayr Karapetyan stated that they would vote against the draft law on recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) by Armenia, which was presented by “Heritage” faction.
“We remain adherent to our stance for the reunification of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, which has de facto already taken place,” he said, noting that “the legal registration of the given reality is possible only in case the further continuation of the negotiation process on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict becomes impossible.”
Bako Sahakyan’s inauguration
On September 7, the inauguration of President of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Bako Sahakyan was held at a special session of the National Assembly of the NKR.
Inauguration of Bako Sahakyan on September 7, 2007Photo: Photolure
The Armenian delegation headed by President Robert Kocharian attended the ceremony.
“Armenia Sacra - Return Home ”
On September 11 “Armenia Sacra - A Return Home” exhibition opened in Yerevan.
Photo: Photolure
The exhibition, the general sponsor of which was “ArmenTel” company, became the replica of the “Armenia Sacra” exposition, which was demonstrated in the Paris Louvre February 21 – May 21 of 2007 within the framework of the Year of Armenia in France.
The Holy See Echmiadzin, the Institute for study of ancient manuscripts - Matenadaran and the Museum of History of Armenia will for the first time jointly present over 200 priceless exhibits, which cover all the important stages of the Christian history of the Armenian people.
Over 30 khachkars (cross-stones), gathered from the whole territory of Armenia for the exposition in Louvre, were presented at the entrance of the Museum of History.
• 10 YEARS AGO: SEPTEMBER 5-11, 2012
PACE President’s call
On September 5 President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Jean-Claude Mignon said that Ramil Safarov’s liberation is “unacceptable”, and called on the Azeri authorities to reconsider their position.
“This scandalous liberation is having very negative consequences on the already-strained relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and also risks destabilizing the situation in the region. I call on the Azeri authorities to reconsider their position, in line with the standards and the ethical norms of the Council of Europe,” PACE President Mignon said.
“Damages Trust”
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in Yerevan on September 6 that “the pardoning of Ramil Safarov by Azerbaijan damages trust and doesn't contribute to the peace process.”
Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Serzh Sargsyan in Yerevan on September 6, 2012Photo: Photolure
“I am deeply concerned by the Azerbaijani decision to pardon Ramil Safarov. The act he committed was a terrible crime and should not be glorified,” Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.
“The diplomatic correctness – direct threat to regional security”
On September 7 Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said that the transfer of Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan and his release “make us seriously think about changing some of our approaches.”
At the meeting with the ambassadors of a number of countries accredited to the OSCE, the president said:
“The principles and the comprehensive understanding of security of the OSCE fully correspond to our vision. It’s extremely important that within the organization we have agreed to the idea that the security of any country cannot be provided at the expense of the others. We conscientiously fulfill all our tasks. But an event has happened recently which makes us seriously think about changing our approaches.
Serzh Sargsyan on September 7, 2012Photo: Armenian President’s press office
A person who committed a brutal crime was immediately released in Azerbaijan and we think that unfortunately this is not the last case. Everything began after the OSCE Minsk Group proposed its option of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement in 2007. Many people remember how Azerbaijan refused that document, declaring then that it was generally unacceptable. After that Azerbaijan began providing its own comments to the principles. You remember how they tried to comment on the right for self-determination. You remember how they tried to comment on the word “referendum”. Then a show began. The essence of the show was to drag out time, accumulate large supplies of arms and try to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict by force in suitable conditions.”
“We think that the purpose of justification of a murderer was not that Aliyev needs to increase his image inside his country; this is an attempt to test the reaction of the international community to Azerbaijan’s extraordinary steps. Otherwise, I think, there are a lot of people in Azerbaijan including its leadership, who could clearly see what consequences this step could have entailed. And the testing of international community’s patience, as I said, has begun earlier, when many years ago the Azeris began to roughly violate commitments provided by the Conventional Armed Forces Treaty and nobody reacted to these rough violations. When the Azeri President publicly instructed the National Academy of Sciences to write the history of Azerbaijan where no Armenians should have been mentioned, nobody paid attention to that fact. When Aliyev began to declare that Yerevan and Armenia are Azerbaijani territories, nobody reacted to that statement.
Serzh Sargsyan on September 7, 2012Photo: Armenian President’s press office
When Aliyev stated that their “number one enemy” is the Armenian nation and the enemy should be destroyed, nobody reacted to that statement either. To all our appeals and warnings, directed to both the Co-Chairs and the rest, that this is a beginning of a bad process, we received unacceptable answer. The answer is as follows: Aliyev’s statements are designed for the internal public. The statements meant for the internal and foreign public cannot differ at all. One can’t think in one way during half of the day and then think quite otherwise during the rest of it. Seeing this tolerance, Aliyev has already passed from statements to actions. The first action was made during the visit of the U.S. Secretary of State to the region when several subversive activities have been undertaken on the contact line and along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. And the reaction was weak again. Now we are witnessing this extraordinary fact. And as I have said, this is unfortunately not the end… So to say, in the given situation the diplomatic correctness threatens regional security,” Serzh Sargsyan stressed.
• 5 YEARS AGO: SEPTMEBR 5-11, 2017
Aliyev pardons Lapshin
On September 11 President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev pardoned blogger Alexander Lapshin.
Citizen of Russia and Israel Alexander Lapshin was sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment in July 2017 for visiting Nagorno-Karabakh in 2011 and 2012.
The blogger was detained in late 2016 in Minsk by Baku’s request. In February of 2017, Belarus extradited him to Azerbaijan.
Ara Tadevosyan
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