YEREVAN–The Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation announced the passing on Sunday of national and political official, a long-time Bureau member and most recently, Armenia’s Ambassador to Germany Vahan Hovanessian after a long illness.
The ARF Bureau, on behalf of the large ARF family, offered its condolences to Hovanessian’s family, relatives, friends and the entire Armenian Nation.
Vahan Hovannesian was born on August 16, 1956 in Yerevan.
He graduated with degrees in history and archaeology from the Moscow Pedagogical Institute in 1978 and received his Pd.D in history. From 1978-1980 he served in the Soviet army.
From 1980 to 1989 he worked as a research assistant and later as a head of the scientific research division in the Erebuni Museum. In 1989 he worked as a research assistant in the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography under the Academy of Sciences.
From 1990 to 1992 he was an active member of the Artsakh liberation movement.
From 1990 to 1992 he was a member of the ARF Central Committee of Armenia, becoming one of the first leaders of the organization in Armenia when it resurfaced during the latter days of the Soviet Union. In 1992 he became a member of the ARF Bureau, but in 1994 he was arrested after then president Levon Ter-Petrosian started a campaign of persecution against the ARF and shut down the party’s activities in the homeland.
After Ter-Petrosian’s resignation in 1997, Hovanessian served as adviser to Armenia’s new president Robert Kocharian and headed the Commission on issues of Local Self-Government until 1999.
In 1999, he was elected a member of Armenia’s Parliament, becoming chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and National Security and Internal Affairs, and served until 2003 in the ARF’s parliamentary caucus.
On May 25, 2003 he was reelected by the proportional system from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and elected Vice-President of the National Assembly on June 12.
He was also a member of both the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Faction and its bureau.
On May 12, 2007 he was elected as a deputy of the National Assembly by the proportional system from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.
On June 7, 2007 he was elected Vice-President of the National Assembly and on February 28, 2008 he resigned, after the ARF left the governing coalition in objection to the state’s plans to sign the Armenia-Turkey Protocols.
On Decemer 28, 2013, Hovannesian was appointed as Armenia’s Ambassador to Germany.
Our condolences to his family and our national statesman and hero-God Bless
May he rest in peace. He was a man of patriotism and imagination.
Rest In Peace Vahan! May Armenia get more children like you!
He was a high level intellectual, a national treasure and a very good friend. Garo and I will miss his friendship, charm, humor and intellect. We extend our condolences to his dedicated wife, Laura and the family.
my condolences to Vahans family and to our motherland for the early loss of a leader
May God bless his soul, a big loss for us.
He was one of the few voices of political sanity, not only within the national assembly but also within his party.
Great Guy , he was a symbols of smartness and server to his People . Our condolences to his family and his friends . May God rest his soul .Amen