GEORGIA, SYRIA, TURKMENISTAN, BULGARIA AND IRAQ HAVE NO AMBASSADORS IN
ARMENIA

Azg/AM
15 July 04

Recently we were informed at the Georgian Embassy that the neighboring
country hasn’t chosen a candidate for the ambassador to Armenia. After
the former Ambassador Nikoloz Nikolozishvili was appointed
Saakashvili’s representative in Samtskhe-Javakhq, the Georgian
republic is represented in Armenia by the temporary representative
Georgi Telzadze. The embassy has no information about the appointment
of a new Ambassador.

22 countries have embassies in Armenia, the five of them are
represented by temporary representatives. Syria, Iraq, Turkmenistan
and Bulgaria haven’t had any ambassadors in Yerevan for already
a year. After the former ambassador of Syria completed his term in
Armenia, the Syrian authorities haven’tchosen a candidate for this
post yet. The Embassy is headed by Ghasan Raslan, but they don ‘t know
who will be the new ambassador.

By the way, Armenia has no ambassador in Syria. After the former
ambassador Levon Sargsian returned to Yerevan having completed his
mission, it is Yuri Babakhanian who used to represent Armenia in Iraq
that now runs the Embassy.

The factor of Iraq is clear. After the country was occupied by the
Americans, the Iraqi Ambassador to Yerevan left Armenia (all the Iraqi
embassies stopped their activities after Saddam Hussein fell). On June
28 the American handed the power to the timely Iraqi authorities
created by them. Both the telephones of the Iraqi embassy to Armenia
and the telephones of the Armenian Embassy in Iraq. The activities of
the Iraqi embassy will begin again in near future. When the
government of the country is able to secure the safety of the foreign
diplomats, the mission of the Armenian Embassy in Baghdad will be
restarted. Turkmenistan has no embassy in Yerevan either. When Toili
Turbanov, former Ambassador, disappeared from Armenia(they say that he
applied for politicalsupport in one of the European countries)
Ashkhabad has no ambassador in Yerevan. At present, the embassy is
headed by the first secretary Serdar Durdiev.

By Tatul Hakobian