Life and Freedom

Robert Kocharyan
Life
and Freedom
The autobiography 
of the former president 
of Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh
The book was created 
with the help of Irina Abramova
Moscow
2023

Alpina
4th Magist
 ralnaya 5, bld. 1
Offi
  ce 159–169
123007, Moscow, Russia
e-mail: info@intlit.ru
Copyright
© Robert Kocharyan, 2019
© Alpina PRO, 2023 
Project
  Consultant: Mark Rozin
Editors: Vasily Podobed and Marina Kost
 romina
Editor (English version): Logan Cull
All
  rights reserved. No part of th
 is
  book may be reproduced in any form or 
by any elect
 ronic or mechanical means, including informat
 ion st
 orage and 
ret
 rieval syst
 ems, with
 out written permis
 sion fr
 om th
 e publis
 her, except by 
a reviewer who may quote pas
 sages in a review.
Printed in Russian Federation
ISBN 978-5-2060017-3-0

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Part I. PEACEFUL LIFE  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Chapter 1. Childhood  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Chapter 2. Moscow Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Chapter 3. The Army  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Chapter 4. Succession of Changes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Limitchik 
  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Jolt  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
A Student Again  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Return to Karabakh  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Komsomol 
  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Part II. KARABAKH  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Chapter 5. Beginning of the Liberation Movement  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Collecting Signatures for Reunifi
 cation with Armenia  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Peaceful Demonstrations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Confrontation  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Sumgait  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Chapter 6. On the Brink of War  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
The End of Illusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Arkady Volsky and His Committee  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Miatsum  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Security in Question  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Chapter 7. Guerilla Warfare  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Eff
 aceurs  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Friends and Enemies  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Operation Ring  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  105
Chapter 8. Between Euphoria and Despair  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  108
Mediators  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  108
Referendum  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  114
Withdrawal of Soviet Troops  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  115
Life under Fire  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  120
Parliamentary Elections  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  124
Committee of Self- 
Defense  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  128
Khojalu Off
 ensive  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  133
My Brother  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  139
The Capture of Shushi  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  143
Breaking the Siege  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  151
Losing Karabakh  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  156
Chapter 9. Breakthrough in the War  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  164
Creation of the State Defense Committee  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  164
First Successes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  168
Kelbajar  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  175
Aghdam  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  187
Secret Meeting with Heydar Aliyev  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  191
Unsuccessful Negotiations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  194
Vladimir Kazimirov  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  198
Primakov and the Exchange of Prisoners  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  200
Arkady Ghukasian  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  203
The Ceasefi
 re that Became Peace  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  204
Chapter 10. From War to Peaceful State-building  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  211
Part III. ARMENIA  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  221
Chapter 11. From Being president to… Being President  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  223
A New Challenge  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  223
Head of Government  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  230

Resignation of Ter- 
Petrosian  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  238
1998 Presidential Elections  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  255
Chapter 12. Emerging from the Economic Trenches  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  265
Addressing Pressing Issues in the Economy  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  265
Consolidation of the Political Spectrum:
Parliamentary Elections  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  277
Chapter 13. Terrorist Attack on the Parliament October 27  . . . . . . . . . . . . .  285
Morning  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  285
The Catastrophe  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  286
Anti- 
Terrorist Operation  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  288
Behind the Scenes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  298
Political Consequences  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  300
Chapter 14. The Beginning of Comprehensive Reforms  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  312
Consolidating the Government  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  312
Systemic Changes  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  313
Not by the economy alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  317
Chapter 15. One Step Away from the Peace Accord  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  322
Meetings with Heydar Aliyev  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  322
Key West — The peace treaty that was never signed  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  329
Ilham Aliyev  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  336
Chapter 16. Political Confrontations — Political Alliances  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  338
New Elections  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  338
Coalition Government  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  348
Chapter 17. Qualitative Leap in Economic Development  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  351
Blueprints  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  351
Kirk Kerkorian  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  355
Northern Avenue  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  358
The Earthquake Zone  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  363
The Airport, Viniculture, and Eduardo Eurnekian  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  370
Tsaghkadzor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  374
The Construction of the Iran- 
Armenia Gas Pipeline  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  377
Chapter 18. Domestic Policy  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  384
Constitutional Reform  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  384
Restructuring the Governing Coalition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  387

Chapter 19. At the Intersection of Interests  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  393
A Few Words about the U.S.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  393
Relations with Russia and Vladimir Putin  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  398
Relations with Turkey  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  402
Relations with Religion and the Church  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  406
Chapter 20. Lifestyle and Work Culture  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  410
Chapter 21. My Conscious Decision to Leave Politics  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  417
Serzh Sargsian and the RPA  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  418
Choosing a Successor  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  419
Chapter 22. The Tragic Events of 2008  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  423
Ter- 
Petrosian’s Attempted Return  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  423
Standing Protests on Theater Square  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  428
Clashes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  436
Investigating the Causes of the Tragedy  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  441
Chapter 23. Another Life  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  446
Thinking out Loud  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  446
Post- 
Presidential Rehabilitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  448
P.S.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  456
P.P.S.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  459

 
Foreword
Th
 e Armenian-Azerbaijani confl
 ict over Nagorno-Karabakh became 
one of the fi
 rst precursors of the USSR’s demise. Th
 e weakening central 
power was evidently unable to cope with the economic challenges, while 
“perestroika” and “glasnost” were swift
 ly and dramatically undermining 
the nation’s system of governance. Th
 e authorities proved ineff
 ective 
in proposing anything innovative, appealing, and capable of mobilizing society. Th
 e country, anchored in absolute centralization and held 
together by a uniform ideology, was rapidly losing its bearings. But despite all of this, the threat to the Soviet Union’s integrity became real 
and even inevitable only when cracks appeared along its most vulnerable fault line — the ethnic divide.             
During these turbulent times, I found myself at the epicenter of 
the Armenian-Azerbaijani confl
 ict, emerging as one of the key fi
 gures. 
Whenever protest rallies, strikes, states of emergency, martial law, armed 
militias, ethnic clashes, confrontations with the military, or war took 
place in the Soviet Union, they fi
 rst happened in or around Karabakh. 
Ensuing events revealed that we didn’t have a choice in Nagorno-Karabakh: we were desperately defending our right to live on the land of 
our ancestors. As a Communist Party offi
  cial, I quickly became one of 
the leaders of the Karabakh Movement. I was in charge of its political 
component and led the creation of the underground armed resistance — 
the foundation of the future NKR Defense Army. Th
 e summer of 1992 
was a particularly tragic period — Azerbaijani armed forces occupied 
half of Karabakh. In this perilous situation, I suggested an emergency 
crisis management model suitable for responding to the threat of losing 
Karabakh. I assumed responsibility, creating and leading the highest governing body of the Republic vested with extraordinary authority — the 
7

Жизнь и свобода
State Defense Committee. Its success was spectacular! In less than two 
years, we not only regained full control of Karabakh, we also managed 
to create a reliable security buff
 er around it.     
Immediately aft
 er the war, I was elected as the fi
 rst president of Nagorno-Karabakh. However, due to unforeseen events, I became prime 
minister and, later, president of Armenia during a critical period of 
its development. Confl
 ict with the then-sitting president, which led 
to his resignation, the snap elections, the shocking terrorist act in the 
parliament… Th
 ese were exceptionally challenging years, both for overcoming crises and for carrying out constructive work and successful reforms, that signifi
 cantly changed the face of Armenia. Armenia’s gross 
domestic product (GDP) multiplied fi
 ve-fold during my presidency. I 
had the honor of serving as prime minister and president of two countries — one recognized and the other unrecognized — during the most 
volatile period of their establishment. So there is, indeed, a lot to tell… 
 
 
 
Initially, I had no intention of writing a book, despite realizing that my 
biography was unique and might be of interest to others. I simply didn’t 
think I could bring myself to tell my life story. I didn’t have the habit of 
keeping a diary, I didn’t like to immerse myself in memories, and I didn’t 
fl
 ip through old photo albums. Simply put, I wasn’t stuck in the past. I 
was always busy, always looking ahead, and planning for the future. Immediately aft
 er my term ended, many tried to convince me to start writing memoirs, but I didn’t see the need. I seriously contemplated it for 
the fi
 rst time aft
 er two meetings abroad, where I was invited as a guest 
speaker. Th
 e audience’s keen interest in the events I described pleasantly 
surprised and inspired me. Many asked me why I hadn’t written a book, 
saying they would read it. But my fi
 nal decision came during AFK Sistema’s strategic session in Altai, Russia, where I met Mark Rozin* . Aft
 er he 
interviewed me in my capacity as an independent member of Sistema’s 
Board of Directors, Mark spoke about the importance of a book and insisted that I write one. At that point, I fi
 nally agreed. 
* 
Rozin, Mark — Managing partner at ECOPSY Consulting.
8

Foreword
Once I started working on the book, I admit I seriously regretted the 
decision. But it was too late to back down, as I’d never left
  anything unfi
 nished in my life. Revisiting the past, especially the Karabakh period, 
turned out to be a diffi
  cult task. It seemed like a great deal had been 
hopelessly forgotten. I had to reread all my old interviews, watch surviving video materials, and talk to many participants of the events during 
those years. Amazingly, vivid memories from long ago began to resurface — even the faces of people I’d almost forgotten, their names, and 
the emotions associated with them. Th
 roughout my life, I had trained 
myself to control my emotions. Writing this book, I learned to set them 
free. It also became a mechanism for liberating the images buried in the 
depths of my memory.   
My aim for the book was not merely to describe historical events in 
which I participated, but to make it engaging. I wanted to depict the 
intricate tapestry of history and the thread we wove into it — to explore 
why we made certain decisions, what concerned us, what obstacles we 
faced, and what elements both facilitated our journey and served as our 
inspiration. For the fi
 rst time, I wanted to reveal the behind-the-scenes 
details of the most dramatic chapters of our recent history.     
At fi
 rst, I thought of writing about everything that transpired during 
those captivating years, as well as naming everyone we traversed the arduous journey with, both in Karabakh and Armenia. But the multitude 
of facts disrupted the fl
 ow of the book, making it heavy, academic, and 
hard to read. As a result, I decided to focus strictly on the most significant events that I personally participated in.
I am grateful to all my colleagues, associates, and friends. I apologize 
to all those whose names are not mentioned in this book.