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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
ARMENIA: BLOOD AND BILE
2004-11-05
When a crime is committed in front of television cameras and dozens of eyewitnesses, and its perpetrators are arrested less than 24 hours later, few would expect it not to be solved. And few Armenians did so when five gunmen turned themselves in after seizing their parliament and spraying it with bullets exactly five years ago. It seemed that there was so much factual evidence that even the most incompetent law-enforcement official would quickly establish the truth about a shocking attack that killed eight senior officials, including Armenia's then-prime minister, Vazgen Sarkisian and the speaker of parliament, Karen Demirchian.

Yet precisely what happened inside and outside the parliament building in Yerevan on 27 October 1999 is still a mystery and may never be known. Increasingly, the case resembles the 1963 assassination of U.S. President John Kennedy, many circumstances of which remain unknown to this day. The most important unanswered question in both high-profile killings is who masterminded them. That mystery is particularly acute in Armenia, where President Robert Kocharian is still dogged by allegations that he was personally involved in the shootings despite the absence of compelling evidence against him.
Much more at the link, including a convenient jailhouse "suicide" and missing videotape.
Posted by:Steve

#3  Aris, I see this coming situation in terms of Orthodox Christian Armenia has nothing to gain by the continuation of radical Islamic Shi'ites with nuclear weapons in Tehran and therefore would looking forward to a 'normal' Iran once again.

On the other hand, the vast majority of Azerbaijanis are Shi'ite, although the most do NOT the 7th century mindset of the mullahs to the south they are Shi'ites.

Also the following: 'Iran generally followed pragmatic policies towards Armenia. Although Iran supported Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, its economic relations with Armenia improved and Iran continued to be an important state for Armenia even after the cease- fire in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.'

The issue of Nagorno-Karabakh can be brokered by leading non-partisan powers after Iran is brought back to the 21st century.
Posted by: Mark Espinola   2004-11-05 8:13:19 PM  

#2  Armenia was aided by Iran in its war against Azerbaijan.

So, I'd bet on Azerbaijan being on the side of the "good guys" instead. Especially since there's a big Azeri minority on the north of Iran. Though unlike the Kurds in Iraq, that one doesn't seem to be an especially oppressed one (more so than the rest of the country anyway).
Posted by: Aris Katsaris   2004-11-05 7:34:00 PM  

#1  When the Iranian nuke issue is finally addressed Armenia, which sits on Iran's northern border, will be a key player on the side of the good guys.
Posted by: Mark Espinola   2004-11-05 6:37:58 PM  

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