Previous Ambassadors

Arman J. Kirakossian

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. Ambassador Kirakossian is also Permanent Observer of the Republic of Armenia to the Organization of American States from 2001. 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. Honorary member of the National Association for Armenian studies and Research. 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.

Ruben Robert Shugarian
Deputy Foreign Minister

Ruben Shugarian has served as Armenia's Deputy Foreign Minister since October 1999. In that capacity, he is responsible for the Ministry's American and Middle East Departments.
Prior to his appointment as Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Shugarian served as Armenia's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States. Appointed in February 1993, Mr. Shugarian was the first Armenian Ambassador accredited to the United States. He served as Assistant to the President (November 1991 - July 1992) and Spokesman (July 1992 - February 1993) in the administration of then President Ter-Petrossian. Mr. Shugarian was a staff member on the Foreign Relations Committee in the Armenian Parliament from January 1991 to October 1991. From 1985 to 1991, he was an English language instructor at Yerevan Polytechnic Institute.

Ruben Shugarian was born on October 19, 1962, in Moscow, Russia. In 1980, he graduated from Bryusov Foreign Languages Institute in Yerevan, with a degree in Russian and English languages. He then completed his graduate studies in Philosophy at Yerevan State University in 1989.

Mr. Shugarian is married, with three sons. In addition to his native Armenian, he speaks Russian and English. He has a diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.