DATE=10/29/1999
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=ARMENIA / POLITICS
NUMBER=5-44655
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The former Soviet state of Armenia is in
mourning for its prime minister and seven other
lawmakers killed by nationalist gunmen during a
parliamentary session Wednesday. V-O-A Moscow
correspondent Eve Conant reports that while the
motives of the gunmen remain unclear, the killings
have left a power vacuum in the country just as
Armenia was taking steps to settle its feud with
neighboring Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh.
TEXT: Armenian Prime Minister Vazgen Sarkisian and
seven other top lawmakers were killed when gunmen
broke into parliament and opened fire.
/// Opt /// The leader of the gunmen is said to be a
former journalist and member of a nationalist group
who said he killed the prime minister as a "patriotic
act" to prevent what he called Armenia's economic and
political disintegration. /// End opt ///
The killings came as a shock to both Armenia and world
leaders, but underline the difficult transformation
process underway in the former Soviet state. Armenia
is still struggling to build a market economy after
decades of Soviet rule. Corruption is rampant and
political turmoil is not uncommon. But living
standards have improved slightly since the early
nineties, when chronic energy shortages left many
Armenians without electricity or heat.
Many officials say the gunmen were simply deranged
individuals. But some analysts believe the killings
may be related to the long-standing dispute between
Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Armenian-populated
enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The chairman of Moscow's Center for Strategic and
Political Studies, Vitaly Naumkin, says Armenia has
become nearly bankrupt due to the Karabakh conflict.
/// Naumkin Act ///
I think that we couldn't interpret what has
happened as a role of some external actors
because it is obvious that it was a small group
of people which were not supported by anyone,
anywhere. It seems to me its more related to
the issue of Karabakh than any other thing.
/// End Act ///
Nearly 35-thousand people died when Armenian
nationalists tried to unite the Karabakh region with
Armenia during the last years of the Soviet regime.
The conflict ended with the Armenian occupation of
one-fifth of Azerbaijan and the displacement of
hundreds of thousands of Azeri refugees. A cease-fire
signed in 1994 has kept the conflict from starting
again, and mediation efforts seemed to be reaching a
possible conclusion before the parliamentary killings
this week. Analyst Naumkin says Armenian nationalists
view any compromise made by Armenian politicians as a
betrayal.
/// Naumkin Act ///
Those people, including Sarkisian, may have been
ready for certain concessions and compromises on
the issue of Karabakh. If so, they were punished
for that.
/// End Act ///
The United States has stepped up its efforts to broker
a peace between Armenian President Robert Kocharian
and President Heidar Aliyev of Azerbaijan. A peace
settlement in Karabakh could possibly open the way for
the construction of a new pipeline to carry Azeri oil
through Armenia to ports on the Mediterranean coast of
Turkey. But the route would bypass Russia, which
views Armenia as a key ally and base for Russian
troops.
The killing of two of Armenia's top three politicians
makes resolving such issues all the more difficult,
say analysts. Adding to the tension is the army's
call for the resignation of top security officials for
not keeping the gunmen out of the parliament building.
But government officials say the army is simply
expressing the nation's shock.
Presidential Secretary Bahe Gabrielen says there is no
political turmoil, and that Armenia's power vacuum is
being addressed.
/// Gabrielen Act ///
We are trying to fill that gap as much as
possible and to the most possible extent. All
parliamentarians and government members have
expressed their support for the president and
all actions he might take in the near future.
We anticipate that the parliament will be
elected soon after the funeral ceremony of those
killed in the carnage.
/// End Act ///
Mr. Gabrielen told V-O-A that he saw no link between
the killings and the negotiations over Nagorno-
Karabakh. But whoever Armenia's next political
leaders may be, they will likely need to tread
carefully if and when they negotiate a Nagorno-
Karabakh settlement. (Signed)
NEB/EC/GE/JP
29-Oct-1999 13:11 PM EDT (29-Oct-1999 1711 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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