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==Presidency==
==Presidency==
After the sudden resignation of his predecessor [[Levon Ter-Petrossian]], Kocharyan was elected Armenia's second President on March 30, 1998, defeating his main rival, [[Karen Demirchyan]], in an early presidential election marred by irregularities and violations as reported by international electoral observers. Complaints included that Kocharyan had not been an Armenian citizen for ten years as required by the constitution.,<ref name="resign">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/s/w_asia/52898.stm Staff (4 February 1998) "Armenian president resigns" ''BBC World Service'']</ref> even though it would have been impossible for him to be a 10 year citizen of a republic that was less than 7 years old; however, the Armenian constitution recognized the Armenian SSR as it predecessor state.

During his presidency, several opposition leaders in the Armenian Parliament and the Prime Minister of Armenia were killed by gunmen in an epsiode known as the [[1999 Armenian parliament shooting]].

===2003 election===
{{main|Armenian presidential election, 2003}}
The 2003 Armenian Presidential election on 19 February and 5 March 2003. No candidate received a majority in the first round of the election with the [[incumbent]] President Kocharyan winning slightly under 50% of the vote. Therefore a second round was held and Kocharyan defeated [[Stepan Demirchyan]] with official results showed him winning just over 67% of the vote.

In both rounds, electoral observers from the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]] reported significant amounts of [[electoral fraud]] and numerous supporters of Demirchyan were arrested before the second round took place.<ref name=flawed>{{cite news | first = David | last = Stern | title = Anger at 'flawed' poll in Armenia | publisher = [[Financial Times]] | page = 4 | date = 2003-03-07 | accessdate = 2009-05-23}}</ref> Demirchyan described the election as having being rigged and called on his supporters to rally against the results.<ref name=incumbent>{{cite web| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2820893.stm | title = Incumbent 'wins' Armenia vote | accessdate = 2009-05-23 | date = 2003-03-06 | publisher = ''[[BBC Online]]''}}</ref> Tens of thousands of Armenians protested in the days after the election against the results and called on President Kocharyan to step down.<ref name=flawed/> However Kocharyn was sworn in for a second term in early April and the [[constitutional court]] upheld the election, while recommending that a [[referendum]] be held within a year to confirm the election result.<ref name=sworn>{{cite web| url = http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/10/world/world-briefing-asia-armenia-president-sworn-in-amid-protests.html?fta=y | title = World Briefing | Asia: Armenia: President Sworn In Amid Protests | accessdate = 2009-05-23 | date = 2003-04-10 | publisher = ''[[The New York Times]]''}}</ref><ref name=constitutional>{{cite web| url = http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/civilsociety/articles/eav042303.shtml | title = Constitutional court stirs Armenian politicial controversy | accessdate = 2009-05-23 | date = 2003-04-23 | publisher = ''Eurasianet.org''}}</ref>

===2008 election===
{{main|Armenian presidential election, 2008|2008 Armenian presidential election protests}}
A presidential election was held in Armenia on 19 February 2008. The incumbent President Kocharyan, who was ineligible for a third consecutive term<ref>[http://www.president.am/library/constitution/eng/?chapter=3 The Constitution of the Republic of Armenia (27 November 2005), Chapter 3: The President of the Republic, Article 50]</ref>, backed the candidacy of [[Prime Minister of Armenia]] [[Serzh Sargsyan]]<ref>[http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2007/09/14/teknatsu/ Robert Kocharyan To Support Serzh Sargsyan, Panorama.am]</ref>.

Following the election result, protests organized by supporters of unsuccessful candidate Levon Ter-Petrossian began in Yerevan's Freedom Square. On March 1, the demonstrators were violently dispersed by police and military forces, killing at least 10 people, and President Kocharyan declared a 20-day state of emergency<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0301/armenia.html|title=State of emergency declared in Armenia|publisher=[[RTE News]]|date=2008-03-01|accessdate=2010-09-09}}</ref>. This was followed by mass arrests and purges of prominent members of the opposition, as well as a de facto ban on any further anti-government protests.<ref name="HRW1">[http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/03/02/armeni18189.htm "Armenia: Police Beat Peaceful Protesters in Yerevan"], [[Human Rights Watch]] (NY), March 2, 2008.</ref><ref name="ArmLibMar1a">[http://www.armenialiberty.org/armeniareport/report/en/2008/03/FFAB3C6D-A75D-4E48-B0D6-5D3A83069160.ASP Ter-Petrosian ‘Under House Arrest,’ Rally Broken Up], [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]], March 1, 2008.</ref>


===Foreign policy===
===Foreign policy===
[[Image:Vladimir Putin 1 March 2002-10.jpg|thumb|right|250px|President [[Vladimir Putin]] with Armenian President Robert Kocharyan]]
[[Image:Vladimir Putin 1 March 2002-10.jpg|thumb|right|250px|President [[Vladimir Putin]] with Armenian President Robert Kocharyan]]
As President, Kocharyan continued to negotiate a peaceful resolution with Azerbaijani President [[Ilham Aliyev]] on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Talks between Aliyev and Kocharyan were held in September 2004 in [[Astana]], [[Kazakhstan]], on the sidelines of the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] (CIS) summit. Reportedly, one of the suggestions put forward was the withdrawal of Armenian forces from the Azeri territories adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh, and holding [[referendum]]s (plebiscites) in Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan proper regarding the future status of the region. On February 10–11, 2006, Kocharyan and Aliyev met in [[Rambouillet]], [[France]] to discuss the fundamental principles of a settlement to the conflict, including the withdrawal of troops, formation of international peace keeping troops, and the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.<ref name="Ghazinyan">[http://armenianow.com/?action=viewArticle&AID=1346&CID=1511&IID=&lng=eng Ghazinyan, Aris (10 February 2006) "Drawing the Line: Maps meet principles in the search for a settlement over Nagorno Karabakh" ''Armenia Now'']</ref>
As President, Kocharyan continued to negotiate a peaceful resolution with Azerbaijani President [[Ilham Aliyev]] on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Talks between Aliyev and Kocharyan were held in September 2004 in [[Astana]], [[Kazakhstan]], on the sidelines of the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] (CIS) summit. Reportedly, one of the suggestions put forward was the withdrawal of Armenian forces from the Azeri territories adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh, and holding [[referendum]]s (plebiscites) in Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan proper regarding the future status of the region. On February 10–11, 2006, Kocharyan and Aliyev met in [[Rambouillet]], [[France]] to discuss the fundamental principles of a settlement to the conflict, including the withdrawal of troops, formation of international peace keeping troops, and the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.<ref name="Ghazinyan">[http://armenianow.com/?action=viewArticle&AID=1346&CID=1511&IID=&lng=eng Ghazinyan, Aris (10 February 2006) "Drawing the Line: Maps meet principles in the search for a settlement over Nagorno Karabakh" ''Armenia Now'']</ref>

During the weeks and days before the talks in France, [[OSCE Minsk Group]] co-chairmen expressed cautious optimism that some form of an agreement was possible. French President [[Jacques Chirac]] met with both leaders separately and expressed hope that the talks would be fruitful. Contrary to the initial optimism, the Rambouillet talks did not produce any agreement, with key issues such as the status of Nagorno-Karabakh and whether Armenian troops would withdraw from [[Kalbajar]] still being contentious. The next session of the talks was held in March 2006 in Washington, D.C.<ref name="Ghazinyan"/> Russian President, [[Vladimir Putin]] applied pressure to both parties to settle the disputes.<ref>[http://www.yerkir.am/eng/index.php?sub=news_arm&id=21875 Staff (23 February 2006) "Putin Going to Invite Kocharyan to Moscow to Discuss Karabakh Issue" ''YERKIR Armenian Online Newspaper'']</ref> Later in 2006 there was a meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents in Minsk on 28 November and ministerial meetings were held in Moscow. "These talks did not initiate any progress, but I hope that the time for a solution will come" said Peter Semneby, EU envoy for the South Caucasus.<ref>Staff (21 February 2007) "Peter Semneby: EU tries to create trust between Karabakh and Azerbaijan" ''YERKIR Armenian Online Newspaper''</ref>

In September 2006, in his congratulatory message<ref>[http://armtown.com/news/en/aza/20060905/1840/ (1 September 2006) "Congratulations on Independence Day" ''Azat Artsakh Newspaper'']</ref> on the occasion of 15th anniversary of [[Nagorno-Karabakh|Nagorno-Karabakh Republic]], Kocharyan said "The Karabakhi people made their historic choice, defended their national interests in the war that was forced upon them. Today, they are building a free and independent state." The accompanying message said that the duty of the Republic of Armenia and all Armenians is to contribute to the strengthening and development of Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as to the international recognition of the republic's independence.<ref>Staff (1 September 2006) "Robert Kocharyan: Nagorno Karabakh People Made Their Historical Choice, Protected Its National Interests in the Forced War. Today They Built Free and Independent State" ''ARMINFO News Agency''</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 15:01, 9 September 2010

Robert Sedraki Kocharyan
File:Dsc 0049 copy.jpg
2nd President of Armenia
In office
4 February 1998 – 9 April 2008
Acting until 10 April 1998
Prime MinisterArmen Darbinyan
Vazgen Sargsyan
Aram Sargsyan
Andranik Margaryan
Serzh Sargsyan
Preceded byLevon Ter-Petrossian
Succeeded bySerzh Sargsyan
Prime Minister of Armenia
In office
20 March 1997 – 10 April 1998
PresidentLevon Ter-Petrossian
Preceded byArmen Sargsyan
Succeeded byArmen Darbinyan
President of Nagorno-Karabakh
In office
29 December 1994 – 20 March 1997
Prime MinisterLeonard Petrosyan
Preceded byGaren Baburyan (Acting)
Succeeded byLeonard Petrosyan (Acting)
Prime Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh
In office
August 1992 – 29 December 1994
PresidentGeorgy Petrosyan (Acting)
Garen Baburyan (Acting)
Preceded byOleg Yessayan
Succeeded byLeonard Petrosyan
Personal details
Born (1954-08-31) 31 August 1954 (age 69)
Stepanakert, Azerbaijan SSR, Soviet Union (Now Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic)
SpouseBella Kocharyan

Robert Sedraki Kocharyan (Armenian: Ռոբերտ Սեդրակի Քոչարյան, pronounced [ɾobɛɹtʼ sɛdɹɑkʼi kʰotʃʰɑɹjɑn]) (born August 31, 1954) was the second President of Armenia, serving from 1998 till 2008. He was previously President of Nagorno-Karabakh from 1994 to 1997 and Prime Minister of Armenia from 1997 to 1998.

Biography

Robert Kocharyan was born in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh, at that time the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast within the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic[1]. He received his secondary education there and from 1972 to 1974 served in the Soviet Army. He and his wife, Bella Kocharyan, have three children: Sedrak, Gayane, and Levon, all of whom were born in Stepanakert.

Career timeline

  • 1972-1974 – served in the Soviet Army
  • 1975-1976 – labor activities in different enterprises in Stepanakert and Moscow
  • 1977-1982 – electrical engineering faculty of Yerevan State Polytechnic Institute. Diploma with excellence.
  • 1980-1981 – worked as an mechanical engineer at the electrical engineering plant in Stepanakert
  • 1981-1985 – worked at different positions at Municipal committee in Stepanakert town committee of the Komsomol Union, including the post of assistant secretary
  • 1986 – instructor of town committee of Stepanakert Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
  • 1987-1989 – head of Karabakh Soviet party organization of the silk factory
  • 19 February 1988 – leader of the Artsakh movement, which fought for secession from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic and for later union with Armenia; member of group Krunk; led the Miatsum organization
  • 1989-1995 – twice elected as a deputy of Supreme Council of Republic of Armenia, and member of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet
  • 1991-1992 deputy of the Supreme Union of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in its first convocation
  • from August 1992 – appointed chairman of the State Committee of Defense and Prime Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
  • 24 November 1994 – elected President of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic by its Supreme Union, and in November 1996 in the result of national election was reelected as the President of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
  • March 1997 – Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia
  • February 1998 – after resignation of Levon Ter-Petrosyan was temporarily the acting president
  • March 1998 – elected as President of Armenia, with 59.5% of votes
  • 27 October 1999 – personally negotiated with the armed attackers in the 1999 Armenian parliament shooting and persuaded them to surrender
  • 25 January 2001 - the Republic of Armenia becomes a member of the Council of Europe
  • September 2001 – audience with Pope John Paul II during official Papal visit to Armenia
  • 2003 – Republic of Armenia became a member of World Trade Organization
  • March 2003 – reelected as President of Armenia , getting 67.5 % of votes
  • 20 January 2004 – The Republic of Armenia became a member of the group of countries against corruption.
  • 27 November 2005 – According to the results of whole nation referendum the constitution of Armenia was reformed.
  • In 2005 – GDP became 120% from the level of 1993.
  • In 2005 – US State Department recognized the Trade and investing policy of Armenia the most open among countries of NIS.
  • In 2006 – rates of growth of investment (24%) approximately were higher than the same indexes of 1998 (5.2%).
  • 7 February 2007 – the strategy of National security of the Republic of Armenia was accepted[by whom?].
  • 19 March 2007 - the Iran–Armenia gas pipeline was opened
  • In 2007 – the North Avenue was built in Armenia
  • In 2008 – the U.S. thinktank The Heritage Foundation, rated Armenia at 28th place in their list of countries with the most open economy, and 15th place among 41 European countries. Lebanon, Belgium, France, Argentine, Sweden, legislatively adopted resolutions on the Armenian Genocide
  • April 2008 – retired at the end of his Presidency
  • 1998-2007 – average annual rate of growth of GDP rises to 10.5%; in 2007 GDP of Armenia exceeded the rate for 1989 by 46,9%
  • 1997-2008 - completion of renovation of "disaster zone" – towns and villages, damaged by the 1988 Spitak earthquake
  • June 2009 – appointed as a director of AFK Sistema, a Russian company that controls Armenia’s largest mobile phone operator[2]

Presidency

Foreign policy

President Vladimir Putin with Armenian President Robert Kocharyan

As President, Kocharyan continued to negotiate a peaceful resolution with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Talks between Aliyev and Kocharyan were held in September 2004 in Astana, Kazakhstan, on the sidelines of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit. Reportedly, one of the suggestions put forward was the withdrawal of Armenian forces from the Azeri territories adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh, and holding referendums (plebiscites) in Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan proper regarding the future status of the region. On February 10–11, 2006, Kocharyan and Aliyev met in Rambouillet, France to discuss the fundamental principles of a settlement to the conflict, including the withdrawal of troops, formation of international peace keeping troops, and the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.[3]

References

  1. ^ "The second President of the Republic of Armenia". Official site of the President of the Republic of Armenia. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  2. ^ "Kocharian Joins Russian Company Board". Artsakank. 2009-06-30. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  3. ^ Ghazinyan, Aris (10 February 2006) "Drawing the Line: Maps meet principles in the search for a settlement over Nagorno Karabakh" Armenia Now

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Kocharyan.
Wikisource has original works by or about:
Robert Kocharyan
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Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh
1992–1994 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of Nagorno-Karabakh
1994–1997 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of Armenia
1997–1998 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of Armenia
1998–2008 		Succeeded by

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