Vazgen Sargsyan (Sargsyan) (Սպարապետ,
sparapet) (March 5, 1959 in Ararat, Armenia – October 27, 1999 in
Yerevan). In 1979 Vazgen Sargsyan graduated Yerevan State Insitute of
Physical Education and began work in Ararat village school as physical
instructor. From 1983 to 1986 he was the Communist Youth League leader
at the cement factory in Ararat.
From 1986 to 1989 he was head of the publicity
department of the Garun (Spring) literary monthly in Yerevan. But the
Armenian national ferment of the late 1980s saw him abandon this role
as he flung himself headlong into political life.
Vazgen Sargsyan joined the growing movement for
the mainly-Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh to be transferred from
Azerbaijani to Armenian jurisdiction. He was elected to the Armenian
parliament in the 1990 elections, the first semi-free elections
Armenia had held, where he became a member of the Internal Affairs and
Defence Committee. Between 1990 and 1992 he spent much time in
Karabakh itself, commanding irregular troops in their fight against
Azerbaijani army.
From 1992-1993 he was defence minister of
Armenia, while from 1993-1995 he was state minister in charge of
defence. In 1995, during the restructuring of government ministries,
he once again became defence minister. In these various capacities he
laid the groundwork for building Armenia's army, a cause dear to his
heart. He controlled the fledgling armed forces during the height of
the fighting in Karabakh, in which Armenia's forces were heavily
involved,
After serving as defense minister, in June 1999
Vazgen Sargsyan became
Prime Minister of Armenia.
Soon in October 1919 he was killed in the building of Armenian
parliament. Sargsyan's body is buried in Yerablur military cemetery.
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