Armen Sarkissian Appointed Armenian Ambassador to UK

YEREVAN — Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian today signed a decree appointing former Prime Minister Armen Sarkissian Armenia’s new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Kingdom.

Sarkissian was the Prime Minister of Armenia from November 4, 1996 to March 20, 1997. From 1976 to 1984 he was a professor of Physics at Yerevan State University and subsequently Head of the Department of Computer Modelling of Complex Systems. In 1984 he became a Visiting Research Fellow and later professor at the University of Cambridge. In October 1991, Prof.

Sarkissian was invited by the President of Armenia to establish in London the first Armenian Embassy in the West. He went on to become Senior Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Europe (Deputy Foreign Minister) and concurrently represented Armenia as Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and The Vatican. In 1995-96 he was Head of Mission of the Republic of Armenia to Europe.

Prof. Sarkissian became Prime Minister of Armenia from 1996 to 1997. He was reappointed Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 1998. He also served as Special Advisor to the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and as a Governor of EBRD from 1999-2000. In 2000 Prof. Sarkissian established the Eurasia Research Programme at the Judge Institute of Management, University of Cambridge. He is founding President and Chairman of Eurasia House International in London, which fosters critical dialogue and cooperation among political and business leaders and is involved in bridge building between the West and the vast geographic space extending from Eastern Europe to Russia, to CIS and China. Prof. Sarkissian is Senior Executive Advisor to the Board of Directors and Chairman of Alcatel, the French telecom giant. He is Senior Advisor to the Chairman of BP.

He is also Senior Advisor to the CEO and the Board of Directors of Bekaert (Belgium), one of the largest steel companies in the world; member of the Board of Brazil Invest, a large investment group in Central America; Chairman of Cambridge Pharmaceuticals, a UK-based medical and health systems company; and is a Board member of Rosy Blue (Belgium). He holds honorary and executive positions in numerous international organisations, including Member of the Board of Directors of East West Institute; Advisory Board Member of the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; IREX, Editorial Board Member of Russia In Global Politics (foreign affairs journal); and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary & Westfield College, London University. Prof. Sarkissian is a faculty member of the World Economic Forum.

With the announcement of his appointement as ambassador, Sarkissian has resigned from his position as a non-executive director of the Lydian International LTD.

The statement posted on company’s website says he resigned “in view of his pending appointment to public office.”

Lydian International was granted the right to explore Amulsar gold mine.

The Company’s significant shareholders include the International Finance Corporation which is a member of the World Bank Group and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Armen Sarkissian was appointed member of the board and non-executive director in March.