Representative Pallone condemns Ambassador Evans firing

ArmRadio.am
27.05.2006 11:30

The controversy surrounded the firing of US Ambassador to Armenia John
Marshall Evans continued to grow this week with a powerful statement
by the Co-Chairman of the Armenian Caucus, calls for Congressional
hearings, and a series of as yet unanswered inquiries from the
national media during the State Department’s daily press briefing,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

In a May 25th statement on the House floor, Congressman Frank Pallone
(D-NJ) forcefully condemned the Administration for forcing Ambassador
Evans to vacate his post for publicly affirming the Armenian
Genocide. He voiced his “fear that the Government of Turkey may have
played a role in this unfortunate event. I strongly believe they have
expressed concern to the White House over Evans’ remarks last year. In
fact, immediately following his remarks, Evan issued a “correction,”
all too seemingly at the behest of the Administration. We must not
allow a third party to interfere in US diplomacy and refrain from
declaring the truth in order to promote relations with Turkey.”

Congressman Pallone noted that he has yet to receive an explanation
from the State Department, despite having written a letter to the
Secretary more than two months ago requesting a thorough description
of the reasons behind the Ambassador’s recall. Commenting on similar
unanswered letters and questions posed during Congressional hearings
regarding this controversy, he noted that, “now, the White House has
made an ‘official’ announcement but still has not given an
explanation.” He closed by expressing his “hope that the
newly-appointed US Ambassador to Armenia, Richard Hoagland, will not
play the word games of the White House, and comply with Turkey’s
campaign of genocidal denial.”