Singer gives up stage to take up embassy
Veteran French singer and actor Charles Aznavour is to be Armenian ambassador to Switzerland, he announced on Thursday.
The 84 year old singer, born in France of Armenian parents, obtained Armenian nationality in December 2008.
He told Armenian television he had felt greatly honoured when he was offered the post, but had hesitated before accepting it.
"In the end I thought that what is important for Armenia must be important for all of us," he explained.
Even during the Soviet period, Aznavour kept ties to Armenia. Despite having grown up in France, he speaks Armenian. In 1988 he set up the "Aznavour for Armenia" committee to help victims of a devastating earthquake which cost some 25,000 lives.
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