US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN656

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000656 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN-ESIDEREAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, AM 
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT SACKS PROCURATOR GENERAL; APPOINTS 
LONG-TIME ALLY 
 
 
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified, protect accordingly. 
 
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SUMMARY 
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2. (U) On March 17 Kocharian unexpectedly sacked 
Procurator General Tamazian, replacing him with his 
most influential deputy, Aghvan Hovsepian.  A strong 
supporter of Kocharian, Hovsepian already held this 
post from 1998-99.  The President's decree gave no 
reasons for the move.  End Summary. 
 
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TAMAZIAN OUT, HOVSEPIAN IN 
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3. (SBU) Kocharian unexpectedly sacked Armenia's 
Procurator-General Aram Tamazian and replaced him with 
his most influential deputy Aghvan Hovsepian March 17. 
A staunch Kocharian loyalist, Hovsepian previously held 
the post from 1998-99.  (Note:  He resigned in the wake 
of the October 27, 1999 attack on the Armenian 
parliament.  End Note.)  Hovsepian had since worked as 
a deputy Procurator General, however, and many local 
observers regarded him as even more influential than 
Tamazian. 
 
4. (SBU) One of the country's most powerful law- 
enforcement officials, Hovsepian has extensive business 
interests, reportedly controlling a dairy firm and a TV 
channel.  He has also built a political support base 
among prominent natives from his home district of 
Aparan, a number of whom were elected to parliament 
last year.  (Note:  The ARF Dashnaktsutyun, one of the 
three parties represented in the government, criticized 
Hovsepian's covert engagement in politics last year. 
End Note.) 
 
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BIO NOTES 
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5. (U) Aghvan Hovsepian, 50, graduated from Yerevan 
State University law school in 1974.  He worked as 
investigator in the Karelian Autonomous Republic of 
Russia until 1978, then moved to Nagorno-Karabakh as 
head of the Investigation Department of the local 
Procurator's office.  In 1986, Hovsepian was 
transferred to the Regional Procurator's office in 
Artik district (rayon) of Armenia as investigator.  In 
1989 Hovsepian was appointed investigator for special 
cases at the Armenian Procurator General's office.  In 
1991 he was elected to the Armenian parliament where he 
served until 1995; even during his parliamentarian 
term, however, Hovsepian continued to work at the 
Procurator General's office, eventually becoming chief 
of the criminal investigations department in April 
1998.  From 1998-99 Hovsepian served as Procurator 
General, and from 1999 until March 17 he was deputy 
Procurator General.  Hovsepian is married, with three 
children. 
Walker