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international

His Excellency

Mr. Andranik

Hovhannisyan

Ambassador of Armenia

He has definitely gotten off to aflying start: since his arrival in the City of Calvin, a little over one
month ago, Andranik Hovhannisyan has piloted one delegation after another coming to Geneva,
for the centenary celebrations for the ILO, for the World Health Assembly, for the Human Rights
Council. It goes without saying that he has been very busy, yet despite his tight schedule, His
Excellency nevertheless took the time to receive us in his country's mission on a pleasant sunny
summer day.

Q: Mr Ambassador, just how long have you been here? Yerevan State University, where I also did my PhD studies.
I arrived exactly four weeks ago. On May 7th I presented I also studied Arabic language and literature in Cairo
my credentials to Director General Michael Moller at the University for one year in 1996-1997. Afterwards, I took an
United Nations Office in Geneva. Since day one, I have been intensive course in international relations at the Fletcher
at work, in meetings, writing reports... In addition, there has School of Law and Diplomacy of the Tufts University at
been no lack of various conferences and events - disaster risk Medford, Massachusetts.
reduction, World Health Assembly, the 100th anniversary of
the ILO combined with its huge annual conference. It seems Q: Where did your interest in Arabic come from?
to me that Geneva is one of the world's busiest cities in terms Already in my early school days, I was very interested in
of international affairs. the history of Armenia. Then I decided to learn one of the
languages of the region adjacent to my country. This would
Q: Mr Ambassador, could you tell us a little about your enable me to understand how our neighboring countries view
background? Armenia. For centuries, the Armenian nation has been an
For the last five years, I was advisor to the Minister of Foreign integral part of the multi-cultural and multi-religious mosaic
Affairs in Armenia. This gave me the honor of joining two of the Middle East, and we have a long history of contacts and
successive ministers during their meetings and foreign trips. communication with the Arab people.
It was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a diplomat and
gave me the chance to see how diplomacy works at the high Today many Armenian communities live in the Arab
level. I am very thankful to the two ministers who provided countries, and we have an important footprint in this part of
me with this opportunity of closely working with them. the world. Our cultural habits and cuisine also have much in
common with those of the Arab world. So, from there came
Before that, I was in Washington, D.C., where I served my interest in the Arab history and culture.
as deputy chief of mission. Washington is an important
diplomatic hub, a place where world affairs and diplomacy I first started to learn Arabic at the University, but I never
is vivid and visible par excellence. It was indeed very thought about becoming a diplomat. I was more thinking
interesting, in a very intense way of communicating not only about an academic career - to be a historian. When I was
with the government offices and fellow diplomats but also the in Cairo, the ambassador of Armenia invited me to work
staff of the U.S. Congress, as well as a dynamic think-tank at the Embassy as an intern. This is how I fell in love with
community. diplomacy. So, just after returning from Cairo, I went back to
Before that, I served Armenia in different positions both university to finish my studies, and then I applied to enter the
in the Ministry and in Vienna, where I had a stint with Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is my twenty-second year in
the Armenian Permanent Mission to the Organisation for the diplomatic service of Armenia.
Security and Cooperation in Europe. My first overseas posting
was in Damascus in Syria, where I served as an attaché in the Q: Did you ever regret your change of trajectory?
Armenian embassy. No, never! It is a very interesting, challenging job, an honor
I am graduate of the Department of Arabic studies of the and privilege to serve my country.

INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMAT . DIVA
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