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| Republic of Armenia
Total area:
29,800 sq. km
Slightly larger than Maryland
Bordering states:
Azerbaijan (east) 566 km
Nakhichevan (south) 221 km
Georgia 164 km
Iran 35 km
Turkey 268 km
Population:
3.6 million
68% urban
110.5 persons/sq. km
Ethnic composition:
93.3% Armenian
1.5% Russian
1.7% Kurdish
3.5% Assyrian, Greek, other |
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Leadership: Robert Kocharian, President; Aram Sarkisian, Prime Minister; Vardan Oskanian, Foreign Minister; Armen Khachatrian, Parliament Chairman.
Independence: Armenia established its independence on September 21, 1991.
CIS membership status: Armenia joined the CIS in March 1992 and CIS Defense Treaty in May 1992.
Constitution: A constitution was adopted by national referendum on July 5, 1995.
Elections: Parliamentary elections were held May 30, 1999. Presidential elections were held in March 1998.
Diplomatic representation: The United States representative to Armenia is Ambassador Michael Lemmon. The Armenian representative to the United States is Ambassador Arman Kirakossian. The Armenian representative to the United Nations is Ambassador Movses Abelian. |
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LEADING U.S. EXPORTS TO ARMENIA | | | January through September | (f.a.s. value, thousands of dollars) | 1997 | 1998 | 1998 | 1999 | Optic, NT 8544; Med. Instr. | 220 | 355 | 15,665 | 22,310 | Dairy, Eggs, Honey, etc | 2,565 | 51 | 51 | 3,052 | Fats and Oils | 0 | 4,617 | 4,617 | 1,873 | Tobacco | 872 | 4,587 | 3,012 | 1,380 | Machinery | 1,141 | 1,878 | 724 | 1,253 | Woven Apparel | 301 | 355 | 15 | 833 | Precious Stones, Metals | 0 | 5 | 0 | 785 | TOTAL EXPORTS | 62,000 | 51,000 | 43,121 | 39,587 |
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MONTHLY CHRONOLOGY
1 November: National Security Minister Serge Sarkisian submits his resignation to President Kocharian following calls for his dismissal in the wake of last month's killings in the parliament. The Defense Ministry had issued demands for the resignations of the national security minister, Interior Minister Suren Abrahamian, who tendered his resignation on October 31st, and the prosecutor-general. President Kocharian refuses to accept any of the resignations, stating that the present cabinet should remain in place until a new prime minister is appointed.
2 November: A special session of parliament elects Armen Khachatrian of the People's Party as the new parliamentary chairman and Gagik Aslanian of the People's Party and Tigran Torosian of the Republican Party as deputy chairmen. Addressing the session prior to his election, Khachatrian urges the deputies to continue the policies of the slain leaders and calls for a multi-party consensus to maintain political stability. Khachatrian formerly served as the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs. Praising the election, President Kocharian states that the session demonstrates the strengthening of democracy in Armenia and announces that he will name a new prime minister and cabinet shortly.
3 November: President Kocharian appoints Aram Sarkisian, the brother of slain premier Vazgen Sarkisian, as the new prime minister. Initially proposed by the ruling Unity bloc, the 38-year old Aram Sarkisian was elected in May as a parliamentarian from his late brother's Republican Party. Sarkisian, a construction engineer, runs the Ararat cement factory in Yerevan and, prior to being elected to parliament in May, has no political experience.
4 November: Archbishop Garegin Nersisian, elected last month as the new head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, is formally inaugurated as the 132nd Catholicos. The new Church leader, formerly the head of the country's largest diocese, vows to accelerate cooperation between church and state.
4-5 November: Security officials announce that they have detained parliamentarian Mushegh Movsisian for questioning in their investigation into the recent killings in parliament. A session of parliament names replacements for the five slain deputies who were all members of the ruling Unity bloc.
5 November: Meeting in Moscow with Russian President Boris Yeltsin, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, President Kocharian discusses the expansion of bilateral relations and briefs the Russian leaders on the status of recent meetings with Azerbaijani President Aliyev regarding the Nagorno Karabagh conflict. Armenian Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutiunian also meets with his Russian counterpart to review issues relating to military and security relations.
7-8 November: Criminal charges are filed against pollster and former journalist Nairi Badalian for "assisting in the crime" of attacking the parliament and assassinating senior leaders and deputies. According to spokesmen of the military prosecutor's office, Badalian faces a ten-year prison sentence if convicted.
9 November: A bomb explodes in the defense ministry's office of the military industrial division killing Major Vardan Gnouni. The victim was the son of former education minister Vartkes Gnouni.
9 November: President Kocharian appoints recently returned ambassador to the United States Rouben Shugarian to the post of deputy foreign minister. Ambassador Shugarian served as Armenia's ambassador in Washington since 1992 and is replaced by the ambassador to Greece, Arman Kirakossian.
10 November: The parliament votes to lift the parliamentary immunity of Mushegh Movsisian, following a request by the Prosecutor-General's office. Criminal charges are being prepared against Movsisian, an independent deputy, after he was implicated in the parliament killings by the leader of the five gunmen who stormed the parliament. With the pending charges against Movsisian, there are now a total of ten individuals detained in the case.
10-11 November: Prime Minister Sarkisian meets with the heads of parliamentary committees to discuss his plans for continuing the policies of his late brother. The new prime minister specifically vows to follow the terms of the September agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and rejects any plans to raise taxes in the next four years, promising instead to simplify the tax code and to improve tax collection. Although praising the military for its "stabilizing role" in the aftermath of the parliamentary killings, Sarkisian states that the political institutions have to be strong enough to deter the military from adopting a political role.
11 November: Vazgen Manukian, the leader of the National Democratic Union (NDU), states that once the political situation stabilizes, new presidential and parliamentary elections are necessary to restore the legitimacy of the country's leadership. Manukian adds that the appointment of the late prime minister's brother as his replacement is "unwise" and that the new prime minister lacks the qualifications needed for the post.
12-13 November: President Kocharian and Prime Minister Sarkisian announce the appointments of two professional law enforcement personnel, Karlos Petrosian as National Security Minister and Haik Harutiunian as Interior Minister. Garen Jshmaritian replaces Haik Gevorkian as Industry and Trade Minister and Kocharian agrees to the prime minister's demand of retaining Vahan Shirkhanian as Minister for Industrial Infrastructure. Kocharian was initially opposed to keeping Shirkhanian, a former deputy defense minister, reportedly for his role in the defense ministry's recent call for the dismissals of the ministers of interior and national security and the prosecutor-general.
13 November: In response to another earthquake in neighboring Turkey, the Armenian government dispatches a 24-person rescue team to assist Turkish authorities. Similar Armenian assistance to Turkey was also provided after an August earthquake, although the Turkish government initially refused Armenian offers of aid.
15 November: Security forces go on alert and evacuate the parliament after receiving a telephone warning. The security forces discover and disarm a package of low-grade explosives in the parliament chamber.
16 November: President Kocharian announces the appointment of former National Security Minister Serge Sarkisian as the head of presidential administration, roughly equivalent to chief of staff, and the shifting of Aleksan Harutiunian to the post of Presidential Foreign Policy Adviser. The president also appoints career prosecutor Boris Nazarian to replace Prosecutor-General Aghvan Hovsepian.
17 November: President Kocharian meets with Turkish President Suleyman Demirel during the Istanbul summit of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The Turkish president reiterates that Kocharian that the "establishment of formal diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia is contingent on resolving the Nagorno Karabagh conflict." Demirel also states that although Turkey is not considering Armenia in the complex negotiations over constructing a new pipeline for Azerbaijani oil exports, it will not exclude the possibility of utilizing Armenian territory in the future.
18 November: Speaking at the OSCE Istanbul summit, Presidents Kocharian and Aliyev both call for the formation of a new regional security system comprising the three states of the Transcaucasus with Russia, Turkey and the United States. This new regional security grouping would, according to both leaders, supplement the existing European security system and would call for the withdrawal of all "foreign troops" from the region. The two presidents also hold a meeting with OSCE Chairman-in-Office Knut Vollebaek and the foreign ministers of France, Russia and the U.S. to review the status of Karabagh peace-talks. Kocharian and Aliyev also meet separately with U.S. President Clinton who commends them for their several rounds of peace talks.
25 November: While on a visit to Moscow, Sergei Badalian, the leader of the Armenian Communist Party dies of a heart attack. The 52-year old communist ran unsuccessfully for president in 1996 and 1998.
26 November: Russian and Armenian officials announce a joint investigation into a grenade explosion outside of the Russian embassy in Yerevan the day before.
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Republic of Georgia
Total area:
69,700 sq. km
Slightly larger than S. Carolina
Bordering states:
Armenia 164 km
Azerbaijan 322 km
Russia 723 km
Turkey 252 km
Population:
5.57 million
56% urban
78 persons/sq. km
Ethnic composition: 69% Georgian, 9% Armenian, 6% Russian, 6% Ajarian*, 5% Azerbaijani, 3% Ossetian, 2% Abkhazian.
Georgia includes the autonomous republics of Abkhazia and Ajaria and the South Ossetian Autonomous Region.
*- The Ajarians are a distinct ethnographic group of Georgians. |
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Leadership: Eduard Shevardnadze, President; Vazha Lordkipanidze, State Minister; Irakli Menagrashvili, Foreign Minister; Zurab Zhvania, Parliament Chairman.
Independence: Georgia established its independence on April 9, 1991.
CIS membership status: The Georgian government joined the CIS on October 23, 1993.
Constitution: A constitution was adopted in August, 1995, which reinstates a presidential form of government and provides for a strong executive branch and a unicameral 235-seat parliament. A constitutional court was also created. The constitution, however, does not address the status of Abkhazia, Ossetia or Ajaria.
Elections: Presidential elections were held November 1995. Parliamentary elections were held October 31, 1999.
Diplomatic representation: The United States representative to Georgia is Ambassador Kenneth Yalowitz. The Georgian representative to the United States, as well as Canada and Mexico, is Ambassador Tedo Japaridze. The Georgian representative to the United Nations is Ambassador Peter Chkiedze. |
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LEADING U.S. EXPORTS TO GEORGIA | | | January through August | (f.a.s. value, thousands of dollars) | 1997 | 1998 | 1998 | 1999 | Misc Grain, Seed, Fruit | 30 | 4 | 4 | 9,052 | Tobacco | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6,574 | Meat | 4,904 | 39,735 | 24,565 | 5,781 | Machinery | 5,375 | 5,909 | 5,158 | 3,978 | Electrical Machinery | 3,268 | 5,851 | 4,377 | 2,400 | Beverages | 64,373 | 28,506 | 28,346 | 1,776 | Fats and Oils | 1,631 | 6,792 | 49 | 791 | Ships and Boats | 0 | 400 | 400 | 740 | TOTAL EXPORTS | 140,596 | 136,528 | 85,000 | 49,000 |
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MONTHLY CHRONOLOGY
1-2 November: Responding to Russian charges that the Georgian border with Chechenya is being used as a transit point for arms and combatants into Chechenya, Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze stresses that the Georgian border forces maintain secure control over its 80-kilometer border with Chechenya. The head of the Georgian border guards, Valerii Chekheidze meets the next day with Russian security officials further discuss the issue.
2 November: North Ossetian security officials extradite Nugzar Chukhua to Georgia to face charges of complicity in the February 1998 assassination attempt of President Shevardnadze. The suspect, a former Georgian national guard commander, is also reportedly involved in a bombing in Vladikavkaz earlier this year.
3 November: In a formal statement on the October 31st parliamentary elections, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Observer Mission states that the election was "a step toward Georgia's compliance with OSCE commitments," but declines to describe the election as free and fair. The OSCE statement adds that although voters were generally allowed to express their voting preferences and the election laws allowed for a pluralistic election, there were significant incidents of voting irregularities and election related violence. Overall, the OSCE Observer Mission endorsed the voting in Tbilisi as "good," but "less than satisfactory" in the Armenian-populated Samtskhe-Djavakheti and the Azerbaijani-populated Kvemo districts and "unsatisfactory" in Ajaria.
4 November: President Shevardnadze announces a new effort to combat corruption and to stem the growing "shadow economy," which is estimated by Economics Minister Vladimir Papava to represent forty percent of the Georgian economy. Unveiling the plan at a cabinet meeting, Shevardnadze calls on all government ministries and departments to enforce new strict measures immediately with the aim of realizing significant results within a month.
7 November: The Georgian Central Electoral Commission releases revised results of the country's October 31st parliamentary elections, with the ruling "Union of Georgian Citizens" garnering almost 42 percent of the party list vote, receiving 85 of the 150 seats based on proportional representation and thereby strongly retaining its parliamentary majority. The Union for the Democratic Revival of Georgia placed second with nearly 26 percent and 51 seats, followed by the "Industry Will Save Georgia" bloc with almost 8 percent and 14 seats.
8-9 November: Pope John Paul II meets with President Shevardnadze and Patriarch Ilia II, the leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church, upon arriving in Tbilisi. The pope's visit, which is objected to by some in the in Georgian Orthodox Church, follows his recently announced papal mission to "build bridges" with other religious sects. The pope conducts a special Mass for the small Georgian Roman Catholic community in Tbilisi.
11 November: The Georgian United Trade Unions announce plans for mass demonstrations and strikes to protest the government's continued failure to pay outstanding wages and meet pension arrears. The teachers' union at the leading technical colleges is also planning strikes to protest the ministry of education's failure to pay them 8-10 months of back wages.
14-15 November: Runoff elections are held in 24 constituencies where the original candidate failed to obtain the required majority in the recent parliamentary elections. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Observer Mission reports "serious violations" in voting procedures and criticizes incidents of ballot stuffing and the intimidation of local electoral commission officials.
15 November: Fuel and Energy Minister Temur Giogadze resigns following a public clash with Mikhail Sakashvili, the powerful leader of the Union of Georgian Citizens parliamentary bloc. Shevardnadze accepts the resignation, adding only that the energy sector remains plagued by mismanagement. An independent study last year found that the energy sector requires at least $1.5 billion in investment for necessary modernization.
20 November: The newly elected parliament convenes its first session and reelects Zurab Zhvania as parliamentary chairman.
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| Republic of Azerbaijan
Total area:
81,800 sq. km
Slightly smaller than Maine
Bordering states:
Armenia (West) 566 km
Armenia (southwest) 221 km
Georgia 332 km
Iran (south) 432 km
Iran (southwest) 179 km
Russia 284 km
Turkey 9 km
Population:
7.3 million
54% urban
89 persons/sq. km
Ethnic composition: 71% Azerbaijani, 11% Talish, 6% Russian, 4% Lezgi, 3% Daghestani, 3% Kurdish.
The autonomous republic of Nakhichevan (pop. 350,000; 5,500 sq. km) was placed under Azerbaijani administration in 1921. |
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Leadership: Geidar Aliyev, President; Artur Rasizade, Prime Minister; Vilayet Guliev, Foreign Minister; Murtuz Aleskerov, Parliament Chairman; Shamshaddin Khanbabayev, Premier of Nakhichevan.
Independence: Azerbaijan established its independence on August 30, 1991.
CIS membership status: Azerbaijan joined the CIS on September 24, 1993.
Constitution: A new constitution was passed by referendum in November 1995.
Elections: Parliamentary elections were held November 1995. Presidential elections were held October 1998.
Diplomatic representation: The United States representative to Azerbaijan is Ambassador Stanley Escudero. The Azerbaijani representative to the United States is Ambassador Hafiz Pashayev. The Azerbaijani representative to the United Nations is Eldar Guliyev. |
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LEADING U.S. EXPORTS TO AZERBAIJAN | | | January through August | (f.a.s. value, thousands of dollars) | 1997 | 1998 | 1998 | 1999 | Tobacco | 7,227 | 66,453 | 45,086 | 10,692 | Milling; Malt; Starch | 428 | 585 | 156 | 3,108 | Meat | 4,566 | 5,862 | 4,369 | 1,672 | Cereals | 654 | 687 | 0 | 713 | Plastic | 84 | 111 | 104 | 556 | Stone, Plastr, Cement, Etc | 0 | 0 | 0 | 315 | Pharmaceutical Products | 5 | 3 | 3 | 257 | Vegetables | 0 | 431 | 0 | 713 | TOTAL EXPORTS | 62,286 | 123,050 | 85,000 | 40,000 |
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MONTHLY CHRONOLOGY
1 November: Azerbaijani President Geidar Aliyev, on a state visit to Turkey, is awarded the Attaturk Peace Prize by Turkish President Suleyman Demirel during a formal ceremony in Ankara. The Turkish president praises Aliyev for ensuring the "transformation of Azerbaijan to a free market system" and cites Aliyev's "work for the welfare of his people." Demirel adds that Azerbaijan's national interests must be safeguarded by Turkey throughout the international mediation process of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict.
2 November: Senior officials of the opposition parliamentary Democratic Bloc call on Parliamentary Chairman Murtuz Aleskerov to respond to repeated inquiries regarding the details of the direct talks between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents on the Karabagh conflict. The opposition is seeking to obtain firm answers concerning the nature and scope of the concessions that President Aliyev is prepared to make to the Armenian and Karabagh sides. Warning that broad concessions may lead to mass demonstrations, the opposition demands that the government clarify reports that Azerbaijan is considering a plan to grant Karabagh substantial autonomy with the possible right of a separate constitution, legal system, and national army.
3 November: Announcing the establishment of a new "National Resistance Movement" to oppose the Aliyev government's "defeatist policies on Nagorno Karabagh," leaders of the opposition Azerbaijani Popular Front, the Musavat Party, the Azerbaijani Democratic Party, and the Azerbaijani National Independence party call on the Azerbaijan leadership to publicly disclose the details of the recent meetings with the Armenian president. The new opposition group also calls for the complete withdrawal of all Karabagh forces from Azerbaijan.
4 November: Azerbaijani government officials denounce the new Russian policy requiring visas to enter Russia from the Azerbaijan and Georgian borders. Azerbaijan warns that the new visa requirement for Azerbaijani citizens entering Russia will seriously hinder trade and commerce and will "aggravate the situation" along the border area given the cross-border minority Lezgin, Avar and Dargin populations. The Russian decision, announced by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, is reportedly intended to prevent the flow of weapons and fighters through Azerbaijan and Georgia into Chechenya.
5 November: Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Abbas Abbasov calls on the Russian government to meet a new Azerbaijani demand for the "rent" of the Gabala military radar facility in central Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani government is seeking an annual payment of some $4 million in "usage and utility fees" to ensure the continuation of the Russian use of the installation.
5-6 November: Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Aksenenko meets with Azerbaijani officials during a visit to Baku as part of Moscow's attempt to review relations with the region following the escalation of its military campaign in Chechenya. The Russian official meets with Natik Aliyev, the head of the Azerbaijani state oil company SOCAR, to discuss the export of oil through Russia. Azerbaijan rebuffs the Russian offer of a new agreement calling for the export of oil from Azerbaijani offshore fields through a new "northern route" effectively bypassing Chechenya to the north with the planned construction of a new pipeline segment connecting Baku to Russian Black Sea port facilities. The Russian plan attempts to counter the proposed construction of a pipeline from Baku to the Turkish port of Ceyhan. The level of Azerbaijani oil exports through Russia stands at five million tons annually, although Russia is seeking to persuade Azerbaijan to increase that number to 12-15 million tons.
10 November: The opposition Democratic Bloc of parliamentarians issue a statement protesting a proposed law on the media for failing to ensure the freedom of speech and for containing undemocratic provisions. The draft legislation, to be considered for adoption shortly, allows the state to close media outlets for a period of three months on vague grounds and sets forth a new system of state distribution of media permits and licensing that the opposition contends is a form of censorship and control. The opposition bloc adds that the parliament failed to consider its amendments and proposed revisions to the draft law in order to support the Aliyev government's campaign to intimidate and control the country's opposition and independent media.
10 November: Foreign Minister Vilayet Guliev refutes claims by the Russian defense ministry alleging that Chechen forces have retreated into Azerbaijan to prepare for a new military campaign which would coincide with an Azerbaijani army attack on Nagorno Karabagh. Azerbaijani presidential administration official Novruz Mamedov adds that there is no such understanding between Azerbaijan and the Chechen fighters and dismisses the charge as "absurd." Guliev was appointed late last month to replace Tofik Zulfugarov who resigned in protest over President Aliyev's handling of the Nagorno Karabagh issue.
11 November: Warnings over the course of the Karabagh peace talks escalate with the announcement by Nemat Panahov, the head of the National Statehood Party, that the Aliyev government "may be overthrown if it concludes a peace agreement over Nagorno Karabagh that violates Azerbaijani national interests." Responding to the growing internal concerns over the details of the secret talks, President Aliyev announces that no formal peace treaty on Karabagh will be signed at the upcoming Istanbul summit of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), but adds that he is considering a "joint declaration of principles" on a negotiated settlement.
15 November: Deputy Prosecutor-General Fikret Mamedov responds to charges that there is a widespread pattern of torture in Azerbaijan by prison officials and security forces. The charges are asserted in several reports by international human rights organizations before a Geneva meeting of the United Nations Committee Against Torture. The Azerbaijani official admits that there are incidents of torture and abuse of detainees, but dismisses them as being isolated and not reflective of a system-wide pattern. Mamedov reports that new legislation is under consideration that would target police brutality and protect the rights of the incarcerated.
17 November: President Aliyev issues a decree pardoning four leaders of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan. The leaders were convicted of espionage for Iran in April 1997.
18 November: During the OSCE summit meeting in Istanbul, the presidents of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey formally sign an agreement expressing their governments' commitment to the planned construction of a new pipeline to transport oil exports from Azerbaijan to Western markets along a route from Baku to the Turkish port of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean Sea. The agreement specifically creates a legal framework for the pipeline plan and is supplemented by a bilateral Turkish-Azerbaijani protocol on the principles governing transit issues and fees. The construction of the proposed 1730-kilometer pipeline is slated for the year 2001 following the completion of a new feasibility study, and the $2.4 billion cost will be substantially financed by the Turkish government. The presidents of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan conclude a separate agreement with Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia on their use of the planned pipeline for energy exports.
24 November: President Aliyev meets for six hours with the presidential council to discuss the recent OSCE summit which Aliyev describes as "historic", but does not make public any of the details of the meetings concerning the Karabagh conflict. Aliyev only reiterates that the use of force is not an option in resolving the Nagorno Karabagh conflict. The twenty parliamentarians comprising the opposition Democratic Bloc, however, issue a statement criticizing the OSCE summit for accomplishing nothing of significance and contend that the Istanbul summit was "another defeat for Azerbaijani policy."
24-26 November: Defense Minister Safar Abiyev holds a series of meetings with Russian officials and the Armenian defense minister in Moscow. The Russian and Azerbaijani defense ministers discuss the terms for the continuation of the Russian military's use of the Gabala radar installation in Azerbaijan and review new plans to expand bilateral cooperation in developing military industrial technology. Abiyev reiterates his government's demand that Russia complete their investigation into alleged arms transfers to Armenia between 1994-1996.
25 November: Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasizade leads several meetings with visiting Georgian State Minister Vazha Lordkipanidze regarding the necessary modernization and repairs for the Kazi-Magomed-Tbilisi natural gas pipeline. The pipeline is essential to the planned export of 400-500 million cubic meters of natural gas annually from Azerbaijan to Georgia.
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Republic of Nagorno Karabagh
Total area:
4,800 sq. km
Slightly smaller than Delaware
Bordering states:
Azerbaijan
Population:
150,000
31 persons/sq. km
Ethnic composition:
95% Armenian
5% Assyrian, Greek,
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Leadership: Arkady Gukasyan, President; Anushevan Danielian, Prime Minister; Naira Melkoumian, Foreign Minister; Oleg Yessayan, Parliament Chairman
Independence: The Republic of Nagorno Karabagh was established on September 2, 1991 and declared its independence on January 6, 1992.
CIS membership status: Nagorno Karabagh is not a member of the CIS.
Constitution: The Parliament approved a constitution in June 1992.
Elections: Parliamentary elections were held April 30, 1995 for the 33-seat parliament. Presidential elections were held September 1997.
Diplomatic representation: The Nagorno Karabagh representative to Armenia is Garen Mirzoyan. Artak Haroutiounian is the representative of Nagorno Karabagh to the European Community and the European Parliament. Vartan Barseghyan is the Director of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic Public Affairs Office in the United States. |
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MONTHLY CHRONOLOGY
1 November: The official Nagorno Karabagh state-run news service issues a strong condemnation of Russian press reports which allege that the Karabagh government may have organized the October 27th killings in the Armenian parliament as part of a conspiracy to derail the Nagorno Karabagh peace talks. The Russian allegations add that the lead gunman in the attack on the Armenian parliament, Nairi Unanian, had ties to Karabagh Prime Minister Anushevan Danielian during the early 1990s, when both men were in Crimea.
9 November: In a meeting focusing on the Nagorno Karabagh conflict, Azerbaijani President Geidar Aliyev complains to the visiting French co-chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Minsk Group that the OSCE mediation effort is "inactive" and adds that his direct meetings with Armenian President Robert Kocharian have yielded more significant results. Aliyev adds that the Azerbaijani-Armenian dialogue does not, however, "absolve the OSCE of its responsibility for resolving the Nagorno Karabagh conflict." The Azerbaijani president urges the newly-installed French OSCE official, Jean-Jacques Gaillard, to press the Minsk Group to accelerate its mediation efforts while maintaining a fair and objective approach to the conflict.
10 November: The Azerbaijani-Armenian presidential talks on Nagorno Karabagh unifies the Azerbaijani political opposition, which releases a joint appeal endorsed by eighteen political parties and movements calling for Azerbaijan to adopt several measures regarding the Karabagh conflict. The Azerbaijani opposition statement specifically calls for the complete withdrawal of all Karabagh forces from positions within Azerbaijan proper and demands that Armenia pay for material damages incurred during the course of the conflict. The Islamic Party of Azerbaijan refrains from endorsing the joint appeal but issues a separate statement warning of the dangers of pursuing "defeatists policies" that infringe on Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.
12 November: Russian President Boris Yeltsin, in telephone conversations, assures the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents of his personal commitment to forging a negotiated resolution to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict. The Russian president also briefs the leaders on the Russian position regarding the Chechenya conflict in preparation for the upcoming OSCE summit meeting in Istanbul.
15 November: Former Nagorno Karabagh Defense Minister and current Chief of the Armed Forces Samvel Babayan issues a strong statement condemning recent press reports, which allege that he was somehow involved in last month's attack on the Armenian parliament and the subsequent killings of the prime minister and other senior officials. Babayan accuses "certain political lightweights" of smearing his reputation and reiterates his firm stand not to interfere in domestic Armenian politics.
16 November: In a televised interview, Armenian President Robert Kocharian states that the recent killings of senior government officials and deputies, including the prime minister, have set-back the peace talks on the Nagorno Karabagh conflict by several months. The Armenian president says there will be no formal agreement on the conflict signed at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) summit in Istanbul, but adds that he will most likely meet with Azerbaijani President Geidar Aliyev and the French, Russian and U.S. foreign ministers in an attempt to advance the peace process. The involvement of Russia, France and the United States is critical, given their roles as co-chairing nations of the OSCE's working group empowered to mediate the Karabagh conflict, the so-called "Minsk Group."
18 November: The Istanbul summit of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) adopts a document endorsing the recent meetings and talks between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents regarding the Nagorno Karabagh conflict. The document calls for the resumption of the OSCE mediation effort by the Minsk Group, defining it as "the most appropriate format for finding a solution to the conflict." Armenian officials attending the 54-nation summit commend the OSCE summit for asserting a "positive role" in removing obstacles to achieving more progress in the mediation effort.
19-26 November: Nagorno Karabagh President Arkady Gukasyan meets with the Armenian-American communities in Boston, New York, Detroit and Los Angeles during a tour of the United States. Accompanied by the Nagorno Karabagh Representative in Washington Vartan Barseghyan, President Gukasyan briefs the communities of his government's efforts to rebuild the Karabagh economy and notes the significant progress achieved, to date, in restoring the infrastructure of Nagorno Karabagh.
22 November: Nagorno Karabagh Foreign Minister Naira Melkoumian explains to reporters that the recent proposal to establish a regional security grouping comprised of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Russia and the United States must be approached cautiously, adding that the proposals by Armenian President Kocharian and Azerbaijani President Aliyev are, in fact, significantly different. The foreign minister states that the Kocharian plan, unlike the option offered by Aliyev, does not restrict the membership of the regional security group and would allow for Iran and Karabagh to enter into the new security arrangement. Melkoumian recommends that the most feasible approach would be to formalize such a regional security group only when a comprehensive peace plan on Nagorno Karabagh is achieved.
25 November: Karabagh President Gukasyan and Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian participate in the Los Angeles Thanksgiving Day telethon, organized by the Armenia Fund to raise money for the construction of a 169-kilometer north-south highway in Karabagh. The telethon, the third such fundraising event, raises over $5 million for the project. President Gukasyan notes that this telethon is more than just a fund-raiser, but in fact an important demonstration of the Armenian American community's involvement in the strengthening of Nagorno Karabagh and reinforces the unity of Armenia, Karabagh and the Diaspora.
29 November: Officials of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) announce plans to tour Nagorno Karabagh and to inspect the Armenian-Azerbaijani border area sometime in mid-December. The OSCE delegation hopes to use the regional tour to consolidate the OSCE Minsk Group's mediation effort with the recent direct talks between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents.
The source for the LEADING U.S. EXPORTS to the Caucasus profiles is the:
U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration
f.a.s. value - free alongside ship, which is the value of the product upon reaching
the U.S. port of exportation and includes domestic freight charges and insurance.
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For
additional information, contact the:
Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th Street, N.W., Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
phone (202) 775-1918 ** fax (202) 775-5648
E-mail: anca@anca.org
Internet: http://www.anca.org/
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