Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia in the United States of America Dr. Arman Kirakossian was appointed Armenian Ambassador to the United States on October 22, 1999 and presented his credentials to President Bill Clinton on February 3, 2000. He holds the diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Prior to assuming this position, Dr. Kirakossian served as Armenia's Ambassador to Greece from July 1994 to October 1999. In March 1999, he also assumed the duties of the Dean of Diplomatic Corps in Athens, Greece. Dr. Kirakossian was also accredited to Cyprus, Slovenia, Croatia, Albania and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.From 1991 to 1994, he served as First Deputy Foreign Minister,and, from October 1992 to February 1993, he held the post of Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.Before embarking on a diplomatic career at the Foreign Ministry of Armenia, Ambassador Kirakossian held several high-level academic positions at the Armenian National Academy of Sciences.He was Associate Director of the Armenian Diaspora Studies Department from 1990 to 1991 and served on Advisory Panel on Science and International Relations at the Armenian Government from 1986 to 1990.He was Senior Fellow, then Project Director at the Center of Scientific Information for Social Sciences at the Armenian National Academy of Sciences from 1980 to 1986. Dr. Kirakossian was born on September 10, 1956 in Yerevan, Armenia. He received a Bachelor's Degree in History and Geography in 1977 and a Master's degree in History of the Armenian and International Diplomacy in 1980 from the Armenian State Pedagogical University. In November 1999, he earned the degree of Doctor of Sciences in History. Dr. Kirakossian is the author of books and more than 100 scientific publications. In addition to his native Armenian, Ambassador Kirakossian is fluent in English and Russian.
He is married to Susanna Nazarian and has a son, Aram.