Monte Melkonyan could have become 52 yesterday

PanARMENIAN.Net - Hero of Karabakh war Monte Melkonyan (Avo) could have celebrated his 52nd birthday on November 25. On that occasion, Martuni regional center hosted events attended by NKR President Bako Sahakyan, as well as commander's companions-in-arms and inhabitants of Martuni.



Monte Melkonyan was born on November 25, 1957 in Varselia (a town not far from Frezno), California. In 1969, his family moved to Spain. After leaving school, Monte left for Turkey to see his ancestors' lands. Later he moved to Lebanon. Upon his return to United States, Monte entered Berkley Universit, to specialize in archaeology and Asian history. After internship in Japan he worked as a teacher in the Armenian schools of Iran and Lebanon (beginning 1957). Monte Melkonyan knew 7 languages, and had the degree of Associate Professor of History.



In the 1970s, Monte Melkonyan took part in Lebanese Civil war. In spring 1980, he joined ASALA. Monte planned and organized the seizure of Turkish Embassy in France (known as Van operation) and several other operations against Turkish representative offices in European states. While ASALA member, he took part in the assassinations of several Turkish diplomats in Europe during the early to mid-1980s and was later arrested and sent to prison in France. In 1989, he was released and in the following year, acquired a visa to travel to Armenia.



Throughout his tenure, Melkonian carried several different aliases including "Abu Sindi", "Saro", "Timothy Sean McCormack" and "Commander Avo"; the last of which was the name addressed by troops under his command in Nagorno-Karabakh.



One of the outstanding, talented and experienced commanders, Monte Melkonyan died in strange circumstances on June 12 1993 in Marzilu village. He is revered by Armenians as a national hero.