ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN APPOINTED AMBASSADOR TO CANADA

PanARMENIAN.Net - 29.11.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. President Robert Kocharian signed an order appointing Armenian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ara Papian the Ambassador of Armenia to Canada.

Ara Papian was born in Yerevan in 1961. He has graduated from the Oriental Studies department of the Yerevan State University (YSU) and finished his post-graduate study in Armenian History chair of YSU. He has studied in the Diplomatic Academy at the Foreign Ministry of Russia, as well as in NATO military-diplomatic academy in Rome.

In 1981-1982 and 1984-1986 Papian has worked as a military interpreter in the Republic of Afghanistan.

Ara Papian is on his diplomatic service since 1992. In the Foreign Ministry of Armenia he has held the posts of the second secretary of the US and Canadian departments and the second secretary in Iranian department. In 1992-1993 he was the second secretary of Armenian embassy in Iran. In 1994-1995 Papian held the post of the head of Iranian department in the Armenian Foreign Ministry. From 1995 to 1997 he was the temporary attorney and acting first secretary of Armenian embassy in Romania. From 1997 to 1999 he headed the department of cooperation in the defense sphere of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia.

In June 1999 Ara Papian was appointed the spokesman and the head of public relations department of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia.

Ara Papian is marred, has two sons. He is fluent in Russian, English, Greek and Farsi. -0-