U.S. CONGRESSMEN AGAINST RECALL OF AMBASSADOR EVANS FROM ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 17:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 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).

Amb. Evans will be relieved of his duties as soon as Hoagland’s Senate
confirmation process is completed.

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.”

“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.”