WASHINGTON–The Republic of Armenia recently became the first nation in the Caucasus to add a defense attach to it diplomatic mission to the United States. Colonel Hayk Kotanjian of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia took the post of Defense–Military–Naval and Air Attach this month.
‘We are pleased that Col. Kotanjian joined our mission in the US. The appointment of a defense attach was the natural–next step in expanding and further promoting US-Armenia cooperation,’ said Armenian Ambassador to the US Rouben Shugarian.
Col. Kotanjian has already held initial meetings with officials at the Pentagon. ‘Our purpose is to develop and deepen bilateral international military cooperation with the United States–especially within the framework of NATO’s Partnership for Peace,’ Kotanjian said.
Armenia’s defense attaches to other NATO countries include a recent appointment to its diplomatic mission in Greece.
Kotanjian’s prior work in Armenia’s Defense Ministry included positions as Chief of the External Relations and International Military Cooperation Department and Editor-in-Chief of ‘Armenian Army’ Military-Scientific Quarterly.
Kotanjian recently graduated from the College of International and Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies–Germany. He received his doctorate in political science under the auspices of the Russian Federation Academy of Public Administration–the Diplomatic Academy–and the Military Academy of the General Staff. He is a full member of the independent–international Academy of Military Sciences in Moscow.
The military envoy is expected to work closely with the Armenian Embassy and the Armenian Mission at the UN
Col. Kotanjian was born in Gumri–Armenia.
The Defense Attach Office is located at the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia–2225 R Street–N.W.–Washington–D.C. 20008.