YEREVAN, MARCH 5, ARMENPRESS: March 5th is the birthday of Commander Vazgen Sargsyan. Today he would have become 53 years old. Vazgen Sargsyan had invaluable contribution to the formation of the Armenian Army and State. He was assassinated October 27 1999 as a result of terrorist attack in the National Assembly of Armenia.

Vazgen Sargsyan was leader of the "Republican" party and co-chairman of the "Unity" alliance.

He is national hero of Armenia, Artsakh. In 1979 Vazgen Sargsyan graduated Yerevan State Institute 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 Nagorno-Karabakh. 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 Defense Committee. Between 1990 and 1992 he spent much time in Karabakh itself, commanding troops in their fight against Azerbaijani army.

From 1992-1993 he was defense minister of Armenia, while from 1993-1995 he was state minister in charge of defense. In 1995, during the restructuring of government ministries, he once again became defense minister. From June 1999 he was prime minister of Armenia.-