ANCA CALLS ON SECRETARY RICE TO EXPLAIN REPORTS OF AMB. EVANS’ RECALL

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 09 2006

WASHINGTON, MARCH 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman Ken Hachikian called
upon Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to address reports that the
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Marshall Evans, is being forced from
office based upon truthful and forthright statements about the Armenian
Genocide. In a March 8th letter, Hachikian asked Secretary Rice to
comment on published accounts (California Courier, March 9,2006) that
the Ambassador is being recalled, well before the normal end of his
term of office, due to remarks during a series of presentations to
Armenian American communities across the country. Speaking last year
to an Armenian American gathering at the University of California
at Berkeley, Amb. Evans said, “I will today call it the Armenian
Genocide… I informed myself in depth about it. I think we, the
U.S. government, owe you, our fellow citizens, a more frank and honest
way of discussing this problem. Today, as someone who has studied
it . . . there’s no doubt in my mind [as to] what happened . . . I
think it is unbecoming of us, as Americans, to play word games here. I
believe in calling things by their name.” Referring to the Armenian
Genocide as “the first genocide of the 20th century,” he said:
“I pledge to you, we are going to do a better job at addressing
this issue.” Amb. Evans also disclosed that he had consulted with
a legal advisor at the State Department who had confirmed that the
events of 1915 were “genocide by definition.” Within days after his
remarks and the conclusion of a speaking tour of Armenian American
communities, Ambassador Evans was apparently forced to issue a
statement clarifying that his references to the Armenian Genocide were
his personal views and did not represent a change in U.S. policy. He
subsequently issued a correction to this statement, replacing a
reference to the Genocide with the word “tragedy.” Later last year,
the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), in recognition of
his honesty and commitment to principle, decided to honor Ambassador
Evans with the “Christian A. Herter Award,” recognizing creative
thinking and intellectual courage within the Foreign Service. Sadly,
as Washington Post staff writer Glenn Kessler revealed on June 9th,
AFSA withdrew its award following pressure from “very serious people
from the State Department.”

In his letter, Hachikian wrote that, “the prospect that a U.S. envoy’s
posting – and possibly his career – has been cut short due to his
honest and accurate description of a genocide is profoundly offensive
to American values and U.S. standing abroad – particularly in light
of President Bush’s call for moral clarity in the conduct of our
international affairs.” He added that, “if, in fact, punitive measures
are being taken against Ambassador Evans, this would represent a
tragic retreat from our nation’s core values. It would also represent
a new low in our government’s shameful complicity in the Turkish
government’s campaign of denial. Not only does the State Department
continue to be publicly silent as Turkey criminally prosecutes its
writers and citizens for speaking about the Armenian Genocide, it
appears the State Department is following Turkey’s lead by muzzling and
punishing an American diplomat for his speech and his acknowledgement
of a genocide that is extensively documented in the State Department’s
own archives.” The ANCA letter also urged Secretary Rice to respond
in a timely manner to the series of written questions on this matter
submitted on February 16th by Congressman Adam Schiff during her
testimony before the House International Relations Committee. Among
these questions was a specific request that the Secretary assure the
Committee that the Department of State has not taken – and will not
take – any punitive action against Ambassador Evans for speaking out
about the Armenian Genocide. On the other hand, Congresswoman Grace
Napolitano (D-CA) submitted a series of questions to a senior State
Department official during his testimony before the U.S.

House International Relations Committee – including a pointed question
about reports that the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia is being recalled
due to his public acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide. As a follow
up question, addressed to Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried, the
California Congresswoman asked for a clarification of any restrictions
placed on State Department officials concerning the use of the word
“genocide” when discussing the extermination of 1.5 million Armenians
starting in 1915. She also inquired about U.S.

policy on the Turkish blockade of Armenia and the proposed Caucasus
railroad line circumventing Armenia. Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice has yet to respond to an earlier written inquiry regarding
Ambassador Evans from Congressman Adam Schiff during her February
16th testimony before the same panel.

Responding to a reporter’s question at today’s State Department
briefing, spokesperson Sean McCormack said, “I’m not aware that
we have recalled anybody. . . I believe that he’s still serving as
ambassador in Armenia.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress