Levon Ter-Petrossian

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1st President of the Republic of Armenia
Levon Ter-Petrosyan

In office October 16, 1991 – February 3, 1998
Succeeded by	Robert Kocharyan

Born	January 9, 1945 (1945-01-09) (age 62) Aleppo, Syria
Nationality	Armenian
Political party	ANM (Armenian: ՀՀՇ or "HHSh")

Levon Ter-Petrossian (Armenian: Լևոն Տեր-Պետրոսյան; Russian: Левон Тер-Петросян) (born January 9, 1945), sometimes transliterated Levon Ter-Petrosyan, was the President of Armenia from 1991 to 1998. Because of many economic and political problems, he resigned on February 3, 1998 and was succeeded by Robert Kocharyan.

1 Early life and career
2 Term as President
3 Resignation
4 Comeback
5 Filmography
6 External links

Ter-Petrossian was born in Aleppo, Syria to an Armenian-Syrian communist family. They emigrated to Armenia in 1946.

In 1968, Ter-Petrossian graduated from the Oriental Studies Department of the Yerevan State University. In 1971, he completed his postgraduate studies at the Leningrad Oriental Studies Institute. In 1972, he completed his masters thesis. In 1987, he received his doctoral degree. In 1972-1978, Ter-Petrossian worked as junior researcher at the Literature Institute of Armenia named after Manouk Abeghian. In 1978-1985, he held the post of science secretary at Matenadaran named after Saint Mesrob Mashdots. Since 1985, Ter-Petrossian has been working at Matenadaran as a senior researcher.

He is the author of more than 70 scholarly publications in Armenian, Russian and French. He is also a member of the Armenian Writers' Union, the French Asian Society, the Venice Mkhitarian Academy and the recipient of an honorary doctorate from the University of La Verne in La Verne, California.

Ter-Petrossian's political career started in the 1960s. In February 1988, he led Matenadaran's Karabakh committee. In May of the same year, he became involved with the Armenian Committee of the Karabakh movement. From December 10, 1988, to May 31, 1989, he was under arrest together with other members of the "Karabakh" committee.

In 1989, Ter-Petrossian was elected Member of the Board of the Pan-Armenian National Movement. Later on, he became the Chairman of the Board.

On August 27, 1989, he was elected as deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR. He was re-elected as deputy on May 20, 1990. On August 4 of the same year, he became Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Armenia.

Ter-Petrossian was popularly elected the first President of the newly-independent Republic of Armenia on October 16, 1991 and re-elected on September 22, 1996. His re-election was marred by allegations of electoral fraud reported by the opposition and supported by some international observers. His popularity waned further as the opposition started blaming him for the economic quagmire that Armenia's post-Soviet economy was in. He was also unpopular with one party in particular, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, which he banned and jailed its leadership, on the grounds that the party had a foreign-based leadership--something which was forbidden according to the Armenian Constitution.

He was forced to step down in February 1998 after advocating concessions to Azerbaijan in the resolution of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh which many Armenians regarded as undermining their security. Ter-Petrossian's key ministers, led by then-Prime Minister Robert Kocharyan, refused to accept a peace plan for Karabakh put forward by international mediators in September 1997. The plan, accepted by Ter-Petrossian and Azerbaijan, called for a "phased" settlement of the conflict which would postpone an agreement on Karabakh's status, the main stumbling block. That agreement was to accompany the return of most Armenian-controlled Azerbaijani territories around Karabakh and the lifting of the Azerbaijani and Turkish blockades of Armenia.

Since his resignation, Ter-Petrossian has rarely appeared in public and has studiously avoided contact with the media, although there was speculation that he would run for president of Armenia in the last general election in February 2003. He instead has devoted his time to scientific research.

On October 26th Ter-Petrossian made his first public speech in almost a decade blasting the current authorities with charges of corruption and calling Armenia's leaders "mafiosos". He has since announced his candidacy for the March 2008 Presidential election. Several opposition parties have rallied behind him since his return to the political arena.

2002: The manuscript of independence
"The Manuscript of Independence" ( Matyan Ankakhutyan) which was dedicated to the

10th anniversary of independence of Armenia (1991-2001): A Documentary Director Levon Mkrtchyan .

The Manuscript of Independence Above:Levon Ter-Petrosyan

Preceded by Samson Tonotyan	Chairman of the Armenian SSR Supreme Soviet 1990-1991	Succeeded by None
Preceded by None	President of Armenia 1991–1998	Succeeded by Robert Kocharyan