Aram Grigoryan Armenian diplomat Date of Birth: 26.06.1954 Country: Armenia

1. Early Life and Education
2. Career in Academia and Museums
3. Cultural Diplomacy and Documentary Film Production
4. Diplomatic Career
5. Ambassadorial Appointments
6. Later Diplomatic Career
7. Personal Life

Early Life and Education

Arshak Hovhannisyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia. He attended Krupkaya Secondary School No. 19 from 1961 to 1971. Subsequently, he pursued a bachelor's degree in Turkish Studies at the Faculty of Oriental Studies of Yerevan State University from 1971 to 1976. He continued his studies at the Institute of Asian and African Countries in Moscow, completing his postgraduate studies in 1979.

Career in Academia and Museums

From 1981 to 1985, Arshak Hovhannisyan worked as a junior research fellow at the Central Museum of the Revolution of the USSR. Subsequently, he served as the head of the Russian-Armenian Friendship Department at the State Museum of Ethnography of Armenia from 1985 to 1986.

Cultural Diplomacy and Documentary Film Production

Hovhannisyan's involvement in cultural diplomacy began in 1986 when he became the director of the Cultural Center at the Permanent Representation of the Council of Ministers of the Armenian SSR. He later became the senior editor of the "Ayk" documentary film studio in 1988 and went on to serve as the editor-in-chief of the "Gitelik" documentary film studio from 1989 to 1992.

Diplomatic Career

Arshak Hovhannisyan entered the diplomatic service in 1992 as the third secretary in the CIS Department of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He quickly rose through the ranks, serving as the first secretary at the Armenian Embassy in Kazakhstan from 1993 to 1994.

Ambassadorial Appointments

In 1994, Hovhannisyan became the chargé d'affaires of Armenia in Turkmenistan, a position he held until 1997. From 1997 to 2007, he served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Turkmenistan. During this time, he also served as the Dean of the Armenian Diplomatic Corps in Turkmenistan from 2004 to 2007. Concurrently, he was appointed the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Tajikistan from 2000 to 2007, with residence in Ashgabat.

Later Diplomatic Career

Arshak Hovhannisyan returned to the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2008, where he initially served as an advisor and later as the head of the CIS Department. In 2010, he became an advisor to the apparatus of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since October 2012, he has been the Consul General of Armenia in Batumi, Georgia.

Personal Life

Arshak Hovhannisyan is married and has three daughters. He is fluent in Armenian, Russian, English, Turkish, and Georgian.