YEREVAN, MARCH 4, ARMENPRESS. The new United States Ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien reiterated that she will make maximum efforts to advance the work towards a lasting settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and the Armenia-Turkey normalization.

Ambassador Kvien arrived two weeks ago as the tenth U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.

The US Embassy in Armenia released a video on social media where the ambassador speaks about growing up among Armenian-Americans in California, exploring Yerevan, learning about Armenian history and culture, meeting with people displaced by the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh fighting, and about her support for a lasting peace in the South Caucasus.

“My name is Kristina Kvien, and I'm honored to serve as the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia. I am from the beautiful state of California, home to the creative industries of Los Angeles, the innovative tech epicenter of the Silicon Valley, some of our nation's treasured national parks and the largest Armenian- American population in the United States.  I was raised in the City of Fresno, where I was fortunate to have Armenian American teachers and friends and grow up surrounded by Armenian culture and food.

For me, arriving in Armenia has been a bit like coming home. In Fresno, I learned at a young age about the painful chapters of Armenia’s story, in particular, the Armenian Genocide. Honoring the memory of the victims at Tsitsernakaberd has been one of my first stops after I arrived in Yerevan.

I also learned about Armenia’s long and rich history, its inspiring cultural heritage and the incredible resilience of the Armenian people.

I can't wait to explore every part of this country and get to know the Armenian people.

I know recent years have been challenging, and I have begun to hear first-hand of the impact and hardships for displaced persons in Armenia.

I pledged to assist in any way I can to advance efforts towards a lasting settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict and the normalization of relations with Türkiye. Armenia deserves to live in peace and security and to pursue its political and economic interests as it chooses. The US-Armenia relationship is strong and enduring.  I look forward to working hard to strengthen our bonds and help Armenia build a bright and prosperous future. Thank you for your warm welcome,” Ambassador Kvien said in the video.