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By Peter Kechichian
AAANews Blog
Newly appointed Armenian Ambassador to the United States, Tigran Sargsyan, has officially begun his duties in Washington, D.C. Last week, Armenian Assembly of America Executive Director Bryan Ardouny sat down with Sargsyan to discuss ways to deepen the U.S.-Armenia relationship.
“The Assembly will continue to advance U.S.-Armenia relations, and as we approach the centennial of the Armenian Genocide we will remember America’s proud chapter of humanitarian intervention to help save the survivors of the first genocide of the 20th Century,” Ardouny said.
On Monday, Ambassador Sargsyan officially presented his credentials to President Obama at a ceremony held in the Oval Office at the White House.
The former Armenian Prime Minister replaced the long-serving U.S. ambassador, Tatoul Markarian, who has been appointed as the new Head of Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union.
According to a press release by the Armenian Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA), Sargsyan emphasized the “high-level and efficient cooperation” in Armenian-American relations. He also defined his mission as ambassador as “broadening the scope of mutually beneficial cooperation and interaction.”
These sentiments were echoed by President Obama, who stated that “The United States attaches great importance to its relationship with Armenia.” President Obama also expressed confidence that Sargsyan’s many years of experience will assist in “deepening the relations between the two friendly nations.”