[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 100 (Wednesday, July 27, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 27, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      DOMESTIC POLITICS IN ARMENIA

                                 ______


                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 27, 1994

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, usually when we read about Armenia in the 
newspapers, the story concerns the war in Nagorno-Karabakh or the 
terrible energy shortages caused by Azerbaijan's embargo. But in 
anticipation of the planned visit to Washington by President Levon Ter-
Petrossyan on August 9, I would like to make a few remarks about the 
domestic political situation in Armenia.
  Compared to its neighbors, Azerbaijan and Georgia, Armenia has been a 
haven of political stability. President Ter-Petrossyan--one of the very 
few leaders of a former Soviet Republic who was not a Communist 
apparatchik--has been in office since 1991. The parliament elected in 
1990 has not been dissolved, and there have been no coups or armed 
uprisings. There is a very active political opposition, which 
participates in parliamentary deliberations, propagates its views 
through a highly diverse press, and organizes rallies of its followers.
  In fact, the opposition has taken full advantage of the freedom to 
demonstrate against the government with a recent rally drawing some 
20,000 people in Yerevan. One of the most serious bones of contention 
is the question of Armenia's post-Soviet constitution and the mode of 
its ratification. President Ter-Petrossyan favors a draft that 
envisions a strong president, which would be adopted by referendum. 
Opposition parties prefer a parliamentary system, and call for a 
constitutional assembly to pass Armenia's new basic document. At 
present, no agreement has been reached on either of these key issues.
  In a June 13 address to parliament, President Ter-Petrossyan defended 
his constitutional preferences and mentioned some other controversial 
points. For example, he emphasized the need for a unitary State, as 
opposed to giving the country's regions more decisionmaking powers and 
territorial self-government. Many other former Soviet Republics, 
especially Russia, have experienced a confrontation between center and 
regions, often involving tensions between majority and minority 
nationalities. Evidently, Armenia, despite its small size and national 
homogeneity, must also address this issue.
  But the point, Mr. Speaker, is that there is a functioning political 
process to deal with natural differences of opinion on critically 
important aspects of State-building that all newly independent 
countries must confront. The political opposition, while extremely 
vocal in its criticism of the Ter-Petrossyan government and its 
policies, has made no effort to overthrow the Government. Armenia has 
endured 5 terrible years which no society could live through without 
great strain. Possibly the very need to pull together because of the 
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has outweighed the divisive pull of divergent 
views and has kept the expression of these differences within 
manageable bounds. Still, it is remarkable that the political fabric 
has remained as sturdy and as calm as it has.
  Most United States aid to Armenia has up to now naturally been 
humanitarian in nature. But as President Ter-Petrossyan prepares to 
arrive in Washington, he also undoubtedly has in mind American 
assistance on ending the hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh and addressing 
developmental tasks in Armenia. The United States stands ready to aid 
Armenia in bringing about, within the CSCE process, a ceasefire in 
Nagorno-Karabakh and launching political negotations on its future 
status; and fostering the consolidation of a democratic, pluralist, 
free market State, which has already been born and is struggling on, 
despite the most adverse imaginable circumstances.

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