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Kocharian Visits Moscow


Armenia -- Former President Robert Kocharian greets supporters during his trial, Yerevan, February 25, 2020.
Armenia -- Former President Robert Kocharian greets supporters during his trial, Yerevan, February 25, 2020.

Former President Robert Kocharian flew to Moscow on Thursday on what his office described as a three-day private visit.

The office gave no details of the trip, and it was not clear whether Kocharian was scheduled to meet with any Russian officials.

Russian media reported that the board of directors of a major Russian corporation, AFK Sistema, will hold a regular meeting on Friday. Kocharian has been a board member since 2009.

The 66-year-old ex-president, who governed Armenia from 1998-1999, has not been able to attend any Sistema meetings since being arrested in July 2018 on coup charges rejected by him as politically motivated. He was most recently released from jail on bail in May this year.

Russia has criticized the criminal proceedings launched against Kocharian. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly made a point of congratulating him on his birthday anniversaries and praising his legacy.

Weeks after the outbreak of the recent war in Nagorno-Karabakh, Kocharian and another former president, Levon Ter-Petrosian, offered to visit Moscow to meet with Russian leaders as Armenia’s “special envoys.” Their planned trip was cancelled in disputed circumstances.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian questioned late last month the sincerity and seriousness of the ex-presidents’ offers. The latter responded by accusing Pashinian of blatantly lying about their hopes to try to stop the war.

Earlier this month, Kocharian joined the Armenian opposition in blaming Pashinian for the Armenian side’s defeat in the war and demanding his resignation. He charged that Pashinian’s government made the war “inevitable” with reckless diplomacy and miscalculations of Armenia’s military potential and needs. Pashinian rejected the criticism.

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