Vartan Oskanian: Difference between revisions

{{BLP sources|date=August 2023}}{{Infobox officeholder

'''Vartan Minasi Oskanian''' ({{lang-hy| Վարդան Մինասի Օսկանյան}}; born February 7, 1955<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mfa.am/en/minister?former=58 | title=Minister Vartan Oskanian }}</ref>) is an [[Armenia]]n politician and diplomat who served as the former[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Armenia)|Foreign Minister of Armenia]] (1998–2008)from and1998 to 2008 under President [[Robert Kocharyan]]. He is the founder of the [[Civilitas Foundation]].

Born into a wealthy Armenian jewelers' family in [[Syria]], Oskanian was educated in the Armenian schools of [[Aleppo]]. After graduating from Thethe [[Armenian General Benevolent Union|AGBU]] Armenian Central High School in 1973, he left Aleppo for [[Yerevan]], where he attended the [[StateNational EngineeringPolytechnic University of Armenia|Yerevan Polytechnic Institute]] and received a [[Bachelor of Science|BSc]] degree in Structuralstructural Engineeringengineering. He continued his education with a graduate degree from the [[Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy]] in the United States; his fields of concentration were Internationalinternational Monetarymonetary Theorytheory and Policypolicy, and Diplomaticdiplomatic Historyhistory and Foreignforeign Policiespolicies. Oskanian also received degrees from [[Tufts University]] and the [[Harvard Kennedy School of Government]]. In addition to Armenian, Oskanian speaks English, Arabic, French, Russian and Turkish. In 1990, while finishing his graduate studies, he and a group of friends founded the ''[[Armenian International Magazine]]'' (AIM) in California. Oskanian was an international trustee of [[Armenia Fund]], an organization that channels aid from the [[Armenian Diasporadiaspora]] to rebuild Armenia and [[Republic of Artsakh|Nagorno-Karabakh]]. He was also president of the [[Pan-Armenian Games]].

Oskanian moved to Armenia in 1992, shortly after Armenia's independence, and began work at the foreign ministry, first in the Middle East Department, then as head of the North America Department. In 1994, he became Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and in 1996, First Deputy. During those years, Oskanian was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the [[American University of Armenia]], where he taught Internationalinternational Economic Relationsrelations, Americaninternational Foreigneconomic Policyrelations, Introduction to International Relations and InternationalAmerican Economicforeign Relationspolicy. In 1998, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs by President [[Robert Kocharyan]].

==Term as Foreignforeign Ministerminister==

During his time as minister of foreign affairs, Oskanian pursued six main policies. The policy of "complementarity" emphasized inclusion and collaboration between Armenia and its neighbors. It made possible a strategic partnership with Russia, continued membership in the [[Collective Security Treaty Organization]], and brought Armenia's relationship with [[NATO]] to a level short of membership. The policy of multilateralism sought consistent engagement in global issues. Next, through promoting Armenia's integration with Europe, Oskanian worked to accelerate integration with the [[Council of Europe]], the European Union and NATO (Armenia received free membership status in the Council of Europe in 2001). In regards Armenia-Diaspora relations, Oskanian established fruitful relationships with Armenian lobbying organizations in the US and Europe, with other Armenian organizations and with individuals, including [[Tracinda Corporation]] owner [[Kirk Kerkorian]]. For Armenia-Turkey relations, Oskanian's policy insisted on the logic of Armenia's normal relations with Turkey and included early attempts toward protocols between the two states. The sixth major policy was a strategy for the resolution of the [[Nagorno-Karabakh conflict]]. On this issue, Oskanian's approach broke significantly from previous policy. He pursued a comprehensive agreement that did not force Nagorno-Karabakh to remain within Azerbaijan. Born of this effort was the classification "de facto independent, de jure not part of Azerbaijan." The efforts of this policy brought about the "Common State Agreement" and the "Key West agreement" (both eventually rejected by Azerbaijan), the "[[Prague Process (Armenian–Azerbaijani negotiations)|Prague process]]" in 2004, which involved the OSCE and representatives from France, Russia and the US, and most recently "the Madrid document."<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.civilitasfoundation.org/cir/SpeakingIntroENG.pdf {{Bare| URLtitle=Introduction PDF| access-date=March 20222024-01-13}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=August 2023}}

In April 2016, Oskanian founded the [[Unity Party (Armenia)|Unity Party]].<ref>[http{{Cite web|url=https://www.arminfo.info/full_news.php?objectidid=search&objectid=18025E40-E9BC-11E5-98660EB7C0D2166314451&lang=3|title=Arminfo: Rumors confirmed! Vartan Oskanian establishing new political party]|website=arminfo.info}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2016-04-27|title=Օսկանյանն ու համախոհները հայտարարում են "Համախմբում" կուսակցության ստեղծման մասին|trans-title=Oskanian and his sympathizers declare the founding of the "Unity" Party|url=https://www.azatutyun.am/a/27701378.html|access-date=2021-09-15|newspaper=«Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն» Ռադիոկայան|language=hy |last1=ռ/կ |first1=Ազատություն }}</ref> The Unity party joined the [[ORO Alliance]], which participated in the [[2017 Armenian parliamentary election]] but did not pass the threshold to enter parliament.

*http[https://articleswww.latimes.com/2007archives/la-xpm-2007-feb/-07/opinion/-oe-oskanian7-story.html Turkey misses its chance]

*{{cite web| url=http://www.armeniaforeignministry.com/minister/070406_vo.html | title=15 years of Armenian-Chinese diplomatic relations | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224005600/http://www.armeniaforeignministry.com/minister/070406_vo.html | archive-date=2012-02-24}}

*[http://www.neurope.eu/articles/Armenia-comes-closer-to-Europe/67262.php Neurope.eu - News aus Europa - Neurope.eu - News aus Europa]

*[https://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/armenia-e.pdf Statement by H.E. Mr. Vartan Oskanian, Minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Armenia, at the general debate of the 61st session of the General Assembly of the United Nations]

[[Category:PeoplePoliticians from Aleppo]]

[[Category:ForeignMinisters ministersof foreign affairs of Armenia]]