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Serzh Sargsyan came to power as a result of a fraudulent election, his cabinet is comprised of individuals lacking shared vision, common convictions, professional record and political experience; he has expressed a willingness to allow a panel of historians to determine whether the mass killings of Armenians during 1915-18 constituted Genocide; and proposals by his Government remain hostage to Armenia’s oligarchic economy. These are among the scathing conclusions in a report by the Policy Forum Armenia.

Mr. Christopher Kojm, former Executive Deputy Director of the “9/11 Commission”, was feature speaker at a seminar hosted by the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies of the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University, and held jointly with the Policy Forum Armenia (PFA), a think tank of Armenia-related experts from around the world. In reference to the study into Armenia’s 1st March events Mr Kojm said: 

“No report will be seen as credible if it is written by the government, or if it is written by the opposition. A report will only be credible if leaders of different parties work together so that they are forced to look passed their preconceptions, their clear political difference, and that they are forced to focus on the facts.”

During the seminar, Policy Forum Armenia distributed its excellent 58-page 2008 Policy Forum Armenia report (PDF – 560kb), which includes valuable observations including the following:

“A recent announcement by Serge Sargsyan about his willingness to allow a panel of Armenian and Turkish historians to determine whether the mass killings of Armenians during the 1915-18 constituted a Genocide was seen by some as a signal of willingness to go along on issues of importance for the West but also an attempt to take the world’s attention away from the domestic political crisis and the NK issue, which he is ultimately associated with..... The negotiations around the latter will continue to have ramifications on local political developments including raising the question of suitability of a particular candidate to lead the country in a period of potential external threat”.

“The coalition cabinet, led by a reform-minded prime minister, is comprised of individuals lacking shared vision, common convictions, professional record, and political experience. Some of the far-reaching proposals put forth by the prime minister arguably remain hostages to Armenia’s oligarchic economy (where to a large extent old government and government-connected individuals still call the shots), serious human rights and civil liberties’ shortcomings, as well as daunting social problems”.

“Political challenges are complicated by a growing social discontent over the rising prices, appreciating exchange rate, as well as high levels of inequality and corruption. These are serious challenges for any leader, but more so for one who appears to lack strong popular support, who came to power as a result of a fraudulent election, and who continues to rule by force”.

Let us hope that Christopher Kojm will be able to talk seriously with John Prescott before he has chance to deliver another one of his Full PACE blows to Armenia’s democracy on the 15th January.

The ArmeniaNow article can be found here and the full July 2008 Policy Forum Armenia report can be downloaded in PDF here

Christopher A. Kojm

Professor of the Practice of International Affairs

Director, Master of International Policy & Practice Program

Director, U.S. Foreign Policy Summer Institute