New U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John M. Evans Sworn-in, Pledges Continued Engagement in Armenia

The newly-appointed American Ambassador to Armenia, John Marshall Evans, was sworn-in in a special ceremony at the State Department in the presence of his wife Donna, daughter Jennifer, extended family members, fellow foreign service officers, Ambassador Arman Kirakossian and Armenian Embassy staff members, and prominent members of the Armenian-American community. The oath of office was administered by Deputy Secretary Richard Armitage, who, in his remarks, emphasized the strong nature of U.S.-Armenian relations and wished him well in his new position.

Ambassador Evans brings a wealth of experience to his new position, having served at American Embassies in Iran, the former Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, and Russia, and most recently serving as Director of Office of Russian Affairs at the State Department. His foreign languages include Russian, French, Farsi, Czech, and he has begun to take Armenian lessons in preparation for his posting to Yerevan. Ambassador Evans was heavily involved in coordination of U.S. relief effort to the victims of the Spitak earthquake in December 1988.

In his remarks during the ceremony, Ambassador Evans spoke of continued U.S. commitment to promoting security, stability, democracy and prosperity in the South Caucasus, and in Armenia in particular. Ambassador Kirakossian warmly congratulated his American counterpart and expressed confidence of the success of his mission in Armenia.