YOU CAN’T LOOK TO THE FUTURE IF YOU DENY THE PAST, HEAD OF AAA YEREVAN OFFICE CONSIDERS

ArmRadio.am
30.06.2006 15:34

On June 28 Senate Foreign Relations Committee members George Allen
(R-VA) and Norm Coleman (R-MN) bombarded US Ambassador to Armenia
Designate Richard Hoagland with questions about official US complicity
in Turkey’s campaign of Genocide denial, questioning him, during his
confirmation hearing, regarding his ability to effectively represent
the United States in Armenia without properly recognizing the Armenian
Genocide.

Hoagland said that no one in the Administration has ever denied
the tragic events that befell the Armenians. He said his visit to
the Genocide Museum and Memorial in Yerevan was a very sobering and
disturbing experience, but added that the Administration’s position
is clear and that, if confirmed, he would uphold US policy. Hoagland
noted that he is against "getting stuck in the past" and wants to
focus on "living in the future."

"You can’t look to the future if you deny the past," commenting on
Hoagland’ s words, Head of the Yerevan Office of the Armenian Assembly
of America (AAA) Arpi Vardanyan said in an interview with "Radiolur"
correspondent Alisa Gevorgyan. Hoagland’s response serves as a basis
for Arpi Vardanyan to infer that as US Ambassador to Armenia he will
have opportunities to visit the memorial to the Genocide victims,
but he will never use the word "genocide" like any other US Ambassador
to Armenia except John Evans.

Let’s not forget that the rumors about the recall f John Evans came
about just after using the word "genocide."

Notwithstanding the political position of this or that
country, the struggle for recognition of the Armenian Genocide
continues. Furthermore, Armenians are struggling not only for
recognition of the massacre of our people but also for prevention of
any genocide in the world.