why i learn such a news from turkish press?! did i miss smth?! oskanyan is gone, it's already good news, may hope for positive changes & more aggressive work from mfa!

YEREVAN - Armenia has appointed its ambassador to France Eduard Nalbandian as the ex-Soviet republic's new foreign minister, the president's press office said Monday.

Nalbandian, a career diplomat who also served as the country's ambassador to Israel, Andorra and the Vatican, will replace Vardan Oskanian, who resigned following Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian's inauguration on Wednesday, the office said in a statement.

Sarkisian has also appointed the chief of Armenia's armed forces, Seiran Oganian, as the country's new defence minister, the statement said.

Oganian is a veteran of Armenia's war with neighbouring Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorny Karabakh and served as defence minister in Karabakh's Armenian-controlled administration.

He replaces Mikayel Harutunian, who served less than a year as defence minister after taking over from Sarkisian when he became prime minister in mid-2007.

Sarkisian is forming a new government following his election on February 19 in a disputed vote that sparked violent clashes between opposition supporters and security forces.

Armenia's health ministry announced Monday that the death toll from the clashes had reached 10 following the death on Friday of an opposition protester seriously injured during the unrest.

04/14/2008 19:17 GMT turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=225730