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ՀԱՅ ԱՐԵՎՈՐԴԻՆԵՐ ՀԱՄԱՅՆ ԱՇԽԱՐՀԻ ՄԻԱՑԵՔ
ՀԱՅԻ ՈՒԺԸ ԻՐ ՀԱՎԱՔԱԿԱՆ ԶՈՐՈՒԹՅԱՆ ՄԵՋ Է

1988- Levon Ter-Petrosyan led Karabakh Committee, which began to campaign for Nagorno-Karabakh, a region with a predominantly Armenian population in the neighboring Soviet republic of Azerbaijan, to be united with Armenia.

1989- Metsamor power plant was closed down after an earthquake prompted officials to reconsider the safety of the location. Armenia's only source of energy is the gas line coming in from Georgia.

1989-1994- War over Karabakh begins. It lasts five years. Armenia's borders are blockaded by Azerbaijan and Turkey. Armenia's gas line, the only energy source, through Georgia was bombed 47 times by Azeri government in the next 5 years. Turkey imposed a blockade on Armenia, essentially shutting off Yerevan's road and rail links to the West

1989-Political protests begin led by Ter-Petrosyan in Yerevan to become a free and independent from USSR and demanded a resolution of Karabakh upon breaking away from USSR. Protests draw crowds of 500,000 people.

1990 - Armenian Nationalist Movement party, formed and led by Levon Ter-Petrosyan, wins parliamentary elections. Independence is declared, but ignored by Moscow.

1991 September - A referendum sees 94% vote for secession from the Soviet Union. First country in Caucasus to become independent from USSR.

1991 October - Levon Ter-Petrosian elected president.

1991 December - Armenia joins the Commonwealth of Independent States, the successor to the Soviet Union. Armenia recognized as independent by the US. Armenia becomes the first country from 15 soviet republics to form and 60,000 army and unlike other former soviet republics it's military is independent from help of Russian forces.

1992-Levon Ter-Petrosyan accomplishes new trade contracts with Iran and builds the only bridge that runs across Arax river..

1992 - Armenia joins the United Nations. The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh continues.

1992-Levon Ter-Petrosyan is forced to sell Armenian electrical capacity to Georgia while limiting electricity's availability to Armenia to 4 hours per day in order to fund the war against Azerbaijan, a move regarded as necessary by the Armenian Army and highly criticized today. Ultimately this was the decision that won the war and gained twice more land than Karabakh.


1993-A Russian-brokered ceasefire ends the Nagorno-Karabakh fighting. The region is left a self-proclaimed republic, with ethnic Armenian forces in control of Azerbaijani Karabakh territory and surrounding areas.

1994-Despite many disagreements over reopening of Metsamor power plant (the only power source in Armenia) Ter-Petrosyan begins the task of retrofitted the power plant to make it earthquake-resistant.

1994 - Demonstrations in Yerevan over shortages of food and energy.

1995 - Levon Ter-Petrosyan launches privatization and price liberalization programm. Parliamentary elections return the ruling party.

1991-1995 Ter-Petrosyan along with Babken Ararkzyan led the Constitutional Assembly and with a national referendum Constitution was passed and first passport was printed

1995-Ter-Petrosyan banned Armenian Revolutionary Federation party, because party's leadership had foreign-leadership, and party was funded by Diaspora. Any party that has foreign leadership and interests is against the Constitution of Armenia. This move is highly unpopular by many Armenians living outside of Armenia, since ARF party mainly operates in Diaspora and it's main objective is to win global recognition of the Armenian Genocide, which always results in hostility by Turkey.

1996-Ter-Petrosian is re-elected president. Tanks are deployed on the streets of Yerevan to quell protests over alleged electoral fraud. No violence or force was used against the protesters.

1997 September- Levon Ter-Petrosyan suggests that to strengthen it's economy and come out of blockade; Armenia needs to solve the issue of Karabakh to ultimately begin commerce with Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Advocated additional concessions to Azerbaijan in the resolution of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. Ter Petrosyan's key ministers, led by then newly appointed Prime Minister Robert Kocharyan (former president of Karabakh), refused to accept a peace plan on Karabakh put forward by international mediators, which included a package solution that would give some of the gained land back to Azerbaijan.

1997-Demonstrations continue by opposition leader Vazgen Manukyan, the 1996 election runner up. Opposition leaders use Karabakh issue to fuel people against Ter-Petrosyan.

1998-Demonstrations led by Vazgen Manukyan become violent and attack the NA building. Members of National Assembly that supported Ter-Petrsoyan are beaten severely. Armed police already present shoot in the air 3 times but do not use force on people. By 5 o'clock same day Levon Ter-Petrosyan resigns.