Armenian Ambassador remembered

London’s Ambassadors joined colleagues and friends of the late Ambassador of Armenia Mrs Karine Kazinian at Yeghiche’s Armenian Church for a moving memorial service.

Speaking at the service, Armenian Chargé d’affaires Ara Margarian said Ambassador Kazinian had been an “outstanding diplomat” whose “charm and kindness opened doors and won hearts and minds of all people around her.”

Sir Brian Fall, the UK’s non-resident Ambassador to Armenia (1992-95), said that meeting Karine Kazinian was like winning the “diplomatic lottery” when his official contact developed into a friendship with the Ambassador.

He joked that Ambassador Kazinian was so good the UK had to send over two Ambassadors just to keep up with her. Husband and wife Ambassadors Jonathan and Katy Leach in Yerevan sent a message, saying Ambassador Kazinian has made a “great impact” in a short time.

The Ambassador’s close friend Baroness Cox said she felt “a light had gone out” when she heard about her death.

Former Armenian Prime Minister and Ambassador to the UK Armen Sarkissian reminded the guests of the level of commitment of Ambassador Kazinian and her husband, George, to their country, leaving a good salary at the Russian Foreign Ministry to head to Yerevan which was still devastated from an earthquake and suffering under an economic blockade as the country was at war at the time.

He shared the words of the last text Ambassador Kazinian sent to him, saying how much she loved her life. “Ambassador Kazinian truly was a star,” he said, adding that her work to improve Armenia’s relations with so many countries would be her lasting legacy.