Hraparak: Foreign minister’s appointment ‘tough task’ for new government amid constraints to coordinate plans with Russsia

The appointment of a new foreign minister appears to be the toughest task on the new Armenian government’s agenda in the face of the existing constraints to coordinate the decision with Moscow.

And that partially accounts also for Acting PM Nikol Pashinyan’s preliminary move to revoke the earlier plan to give the preference to Ruben Rubininyan, the chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Foreign Relations.

The authorities are thought to be in a bind as they have even focused their choice on former Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan. Russia is not reportedly against the idea, says the paper, adding that Pashinyan is more inclined to name Ararat Mirzoyan, the speaker of the National Assembly, for the high-ranking office. Yet, Mirzoyan himself is said to be opposed to such a plan. Instead, the paper says, Pashinyan has a final decision to promote former Diaspora Minister Mkhitar Hayrapetyan to the office of a deputy foreign minister.