Our Man in Armenia

The Virginia Gazette
August 18, 2004

By Paul Aron

WILLIAMSBURG — In 1619, “Martin the Armenian” arrived in Jamestown. The
Virginia Company sent him because of his expertise in manufacturing
silk. That venture failed, since Virginia proved better suited for
growing tobacco than mulberry trees.

The Armenian connection was renewed last week, when John Evans, who grew
up in The Colony on Lake Powell, was sworn in as the U.S. ambassador to the
Republic of Armenia. The country is in western Asia and borders Turkey,
Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Evans, who was born in 1948, attended Matthew Whaley and James Blair
before going to St. Andrew’s School in Delaware and Yale University.

His early experiences played a key role in his decision to become a
diplomat. “Growing up in Williamsburg inclined me to study history,” he
said. “And Williamsburg was a common first stop for heads of state.”

Evans joined the foreign service in 1971. He has worked at the embassies
in Moscow, Prague and Teheran. He was deputy director of the Soviet desk
at the State Department during the Carter administration.

Evans first became involved with Armenia in 1988, when he helped
coordinate American rescue and assistance efforts after a big
earthquake. He won a
humanitarian award from the Soviet Armenian government.

In 1994 he became U.S. consul general in St. Petersburg, where he got to
know Vladimir Putin, then deputy mayor and now Russia’s president.

President Bush nominated Evans for the ambassadorship in May. The Senate
confirmed him in June, and he was sworn in Aug. 11. He leaves this week for
Yerevan, the Armenian capital.

Among the challenges he’ll face are the ongoing tension between Armenia
and neighboring Azerbaijan, and the nation’s poverty. Armenia receives
the largest per-capita level of U.S. assistance of any country in Eurasia.

“The main goals of my mission will be to promote security and stability,
economic growth and the development of democratic institutions,” Evans said.

He also hopes to work with Armenian-Americans, a politically active
community.

As Evans’ work took him around the globe, his parents continued to live
here. Frank Evans, an English professor at William & Mary, died in 2001.
Margaret Evans, an artist and active member of the Williamsburg Garden
Club, died earlier this year.

,0,5933562.story?coll=va-news