Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: anca@anca.org
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
May 24, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
REP. MARKEY LEADS CONGRESSIONAL OPPOSITION TO
WHITE HOUSE RECALL OF U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA
— Letter Signed by 60 U.S. Representatives
Sent on Eve of White House Announcement
of Ambassador’s Replacement
— ANCA Calls for Senate Foreign Relations
Committee to Hold Hearing on Firing
WASHINGTON, DC — Over 60 Members of Congress, led by Rep. Ed Markey
(D-MA), sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asking
for clarification on reports of U.S. Ambassador to Armenian John
Evans’ recall over his forthright remarks about the Armenian
Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).
The letter was sent on the eve of a May 23rd White House
announcement nominating Richard Hoagland to serve as the new
Ambassador to Armenia. Amb. Evans will be relieved of his duties
as soon as Hoagland’s Senate confirmation process is completed.
The Administration has recalled Amb. Evans over his February 2005
statements at Armenian American community functions, during which
he properly characterized the Armenian Genocide as ‘genocide.’
Following his statements, Amb. 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 US
policy. He subsequently issued a correction to this statement,
replacing a reference to the genocide with the word “tragedy.” The
American Foreign Service Association, which had planned to honor
Amb. Evans with the “Christian A. Herter Award,” recognizing
creative thinking and intellectual courage within the Foreign
Service, reportedly rescinded the award following pressure from the
State Department a few days before Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan traveled to Washington, DC to meet with President
Bush.
“Ambassador Evans has been recalled for doing nothing more than
honoring the forsaken pledge of his president,” said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. “We want to thank Congressman Markey and
his 59 colleagues for calling for a clarification and rejecting the
Armenian Genocide ‘gag-rule’ imposed by the Turkish government and,
sadly, enforced by our own State Department.”
“Armenian Americans truly regret that the Administration lacks the
courage to speak honestly about its reasons for firing Ambassador
Evans,” added Hamparian. “We call upon the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee – the Congressional panel constitutionally
charged with oversight of diplomatic appointments – to hold a
hearing thoroughly examining the reasons behind this firing, the
role of the Turkish government, and the broader implications for
the future of the Foreign Service that a senior American diplomat’s
career has been ended simply for speaking the truth.”
The 60 Members of Congress expressed special concern about the
destructive precedent of recalling a U.S. diplomat for speaking
truthfully on matters of historical record. They wrote that, “we
must not allow the perception to linger that he [Amb. Evans] is
being required to vacate his position early for accurately labeling
the cataclysmic events of 1915 as genocide.” The Representatives,
noting President Ronald Reagan’s references to the Armenian
Genocide, reminded Secretary Rice that Amb. Evans “did nothing more
than succinctly repeat the conclusions enunciated by those before
him.”
The Congressional signatories also expressed concern about the role
of the Government of Turkey in the impending removal of Amb. Evans
from his posting. “Were the United States to allow the views or
beliefs of a third country to interfere with our diplomatic
postings to the Republic of Armenia,” wrote the House members, “it
would establish a dangerous precedent and be injurious to the long-
standing relationship built on trust and friendship between the two
countries.”
“I am seriously concerned at the early departure of Ambassador
Evans,” stated Rep. Markey. “I hope that this sudden action by the
State Department is not related to comments made by Ambassador
Evans about the Armenian genocide. 60 members of Congress have
signed on to a letter to Secretary Rice asking questions about
whether or not Ambassador Evans was forced out of his post. I look
forward to a response from the State Department.”
On March 8th, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian expressed grave
disappointment at reports that Amb. Evans would be penalized for
speaking the truth about the Armenian Genocide. In a letter to
Secretary Rice, 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.”
Subsequently, several Members of Congress, including Congressional
Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-
CA) and Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA) have each called on Secretary
Rice for a clarification of the State Department’s position on this
issue. The Los Angeles Times, in a strongly worded March 22nd
editorial, made direct reference to Amb. Evans’ impending
dismissal, calling on the Turkish Government and U.S. State
Department to end their policies of genocide denial.
Members of Congress joining Rep. Markey in cosigning the letter to
Secretary Rice were: Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI),
Charles Bass (R-NH), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Shelley Berkley (D-NV),
Howard Berman (D-CA), Jeb Bradley (R-NH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH),
Lois Capps (D-CA), Michael Capuano (D-MA), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO),
John Conyers (D-MI), Jim Costa (D-CA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Scott
Garrett (R-NJ), Jim Gerlach (R-PA), Charlie Gonzalez (D-TX), Raul
Grijalva (D-AZ), Stephanie Herseth (D-SD), Rush Holt (D-NJ),
Michael Honda (D-CA), Nancy Johnson (R-CT), Sue Kelly (R-NY), Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI), James Langevin (D-RI), Sander Levin (D-MI), Zoe
Lofgren (D-CA), Nita Lowey (D-NY), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Carolyn
Maloney (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN), James McGovern (D-MA),
Michael McNulty (D-NY), Martin Meehan (D-MA), Candice Miller (R-
MI), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Richard Neal (D-MA), Devin Nunes (R-
CA), John Olver (D-MA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Donald Payne (D-NJ),
Collin Peterson (D-MN), George Radanovich (R-CA), Mike Rogers (R-
MI), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Linda Sanchez (D-
CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), Joe Schwarz (R-
MI), Mark Souder (R-IN), Ted Strickland (D-OH), John Tierney (D-
MA), Mark Udall (D-CO), Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter
Visclosky (D-IN), Diane Watson (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), and
Anthony Weiner (D-NY).
The full text of the Congressional letter follows.
#####
Congress of the United States
Washington, DC 20515
May 22, 2006
The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary
United States Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Rice:
We are writing to express our concerns regarding recent information
indicating that U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans would be
departing early this summer from his assignment as a result of
declaring in February 2005 that “the Armenian Genocide was the
first genocide of the twentieth century,” during public exchanges
with Armenian-American communities. It is our hope that these
announcements are inaccurate given Evans’ service to his country –
in the Foreign Service and as a well-respected ambassador – in a
region of strategic importance to the United States.
Ambassador Evans issued a “clarification” and then a “correction”
of his remarks. Last June, the American Foreign Service
Association originally intended to honor the Ambassador for his
“constructive dissent” and intellectual courage and initiative with
the Christian A. Herter Award as a result of his recognition of the
Armenian Genocide, but later withdrew the distinction.
It now appears that Evans is being forced out of his post. We must
not allow the perception to linger that he is being required to
vacate his position early for accurately labeling the cataclysmic
events of 1915 as genocide.
By employing the proper term last year, the Ambassador was only
building on previous statements by our leaders in government, as
well as the repeated declarations of numerous world-renowned
scholars. In 1981, President Reagan issued a presidential
proclamation that said in part: “like the genocide of the Armenians
before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it —
and like too many other persecutions of too many other people —
the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten . . .” In
effect, Ambassador Evans did nothing more than succinctly repeat
the conclusions enunciated by those before him.
We have also heard that concerns raised by the Government of Turkey
regarding Ambassador Evans’ remarks may have played a role in this
affair. We certainly hope that this was not the case. Were the
United States to allow the views or beliefs of a third country to
interfere with our diplomatic postings to the Republic of Armenia,
it would establish a dangerous precedent and be injurious to the
long-standing relationship built on trust and friendship between
the two countries. In addition, Assistant Secretary of State
Daniel Fried recently stated his friendship and support for Evans.
At this critical time in U.S. history and the South Caucasus
region, we respectfully request your clarification regarding the
current status of Ambassador John Evans. It is our hope that that
he will not be forced to prematurely end his exemplary service to
the United States and the Republic of Armenia because of his
reaffirmation of the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide.
Sincerely,
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress