British mission to Armenia nicknamed ‘love embassy’

PanARMENIAN.Net - The UK Foreign Office has been accused of making Britain a laughing stock by appointing a married couple to share a senior diplomatic appointment.

Jonathan Aves and his wife Katherine Leach will take turns to be the ambassador to Armenia, each doing the job for four months while the other spends that time looking after their children.

Critics Armenia say the unusual arrangement means Britain is displaying a ‘lack of seriousness’ towards the country.

The controversy comes after current ambassador Charles Lonsdale, 46, married his Armenian press secretary two months ago, Daily Mail reports.

The two developments have led to local politicians nicknaming the British mission the ‘love embassy’.

Mr Aves, 51, and his 41-year-old wife will both have the title of ambassador when they move to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, next January with their children Maddie, seven, Mimi, four, and Joe, two. But the announcement has surprised many Armenians and there is concern that it could reduce Britain’s standing in the country, an important ally in the strategically sensitive Caucasus region between Europe and Asia.

Although the Armenian government was obliged to accept the dual appointment, veteran diplomat Arman Navasardyan was critical.

“The British do not take us Armenians seriously. I doubt whether they would send a couple to the United States or many other countries,” said the country’s former deputy foreign minister. “Ambassadors normally spend their first two years getting to know the country and only the third year brings real returns. Yet here we have a wife as ambassador for a few months, then her husband. Then what? Madam again? The attitude here is predictable – raised eyebrows and laughter. We don’t understand why Armenia should be treated in this manner.”

The only other country where there is a similar dual appointment is Zambia, where the job of High Commissioner – equivalent in rank to ambassador – is shared by Tom Carter and his wife Carolyn Davidson, Daily Mail reminds.

An official Armenian source, who asked not to be named, said: “There was some surprise but we were told this was the latest trend in the Foreign Office and that a similar scheme worked well in Zambia. Now the British have the letters A to Z covered by this arrangement, no doubt more will follow. My question is whether they would foist such a self-indulgent plan on a country they think of as important.”