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The Armenian National Assembly completed the voting on the election of Armenia’s president on Friday morning to elect Armen Sarkissian as the fourth President of Armenia.

Armen Sarkissian received 90 votes in favor and 10 votes against, with one ballot paper declared invalid, Gagik Melikyan, Chairman of the parliamentary Counting Committee, said.

A total of 101 MPs took part in the voting. 

To remind, Armen Sarkissian, 64, the country’s former Prime Minister who once served as Armenia’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, was formally nominated for president of Armenia based on a signed petition from 65 MPs from the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and coalition member ARF-Dashnaktutun factions.

Below is Mr Sarkissian’s biography according to the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Born on June 23, 1953, in Yerevan, Armenia. Married, has two sons.

EDUCATION

Theoretical Physics and Mathematics, Yerevan State University

WORK EXPERIENCE

1976-1984 Yerevan State University, Professor of Physics, Founder of the Department of Computer Modelling of Complex Systems at the University’s Department of Theoretical Physics

1984-1985, 1989-1991 Visiting research fellow and later Professor at the University of Cambridge, Institute of Mathematics of London University

1991-1995 Ambassador of Armenia to the UK

1991-1999 Senior Ambassador to Europe, Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the Vatican

1995-1996 Head of Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the EU

1996-1997 Prime Minister of Armenia

1998-1999 Reappointed Ambassador of Armenia to the UK

1993-2000 Special Advisor of the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Governor of EBRD

2000 Founding President of the Eurasia House International

2001-2011 Founder and Director of the Eurasia Centre at the Cambridge University’s Judge Business School

2002 Initiator of the Eurasian Media Forum (Astana),

2003 Founder of the High Power Annual Conference at the Cambridge University

2001-2013 Senior Advisor of the companies British Petroleum, Alcatel, Telefonica, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and other multinational corporations

HONORARY AND EXECUTIVE POSITIONS

Chairman of Global Council on Energy Security (WEFForum)

Vice Chairman of East west institute (EWI)

Commission member of Euro-Atlantic Security Initiative (Chair of Energy Security)

Founding President of British-Armenian All Party Parliamentary Group

Board Member of Global Leadership Foundation (GLF)

Dean’s Advisory Council, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University;

Dean’s Advisory Council, Harris School of Public Policy Studies, University of Chicago;

John Smith Trust member, London, UK;

International Economic Alliance, Global Leadership Foundation;

Honorary Senior Research Fellow at School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary & Westfield College, London University;

Honorary doctor of National Academy of Sciences of Armenia;

AWARDS

1997 St. Gregory the Great Award from His Holiness the Pope John Paul II

2008 St. Gregory the Illuminator medal from His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos Patriarch of All Armenians

Has authored numerous academic articles and publications on theoretical physics, astrophysics, computer modelling, political science and transition economics.

Holds Diplomatic rank of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.