US State Department Denies Turkey Linked to Recall of Evans

US State Department Denies Turkey Linked to Recall of Evans

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.07.2006 14:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The US State Department denies that Turkey
communicated with them in any fashion regarding US Ambassador to
Armenia John Evans, Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
Executive Director Aram Hamparian told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. This
denial is simply not credible given Turkey’s past conduct, Hamparian
said.

It should be reminded that during a meeting with San Francisco Armenian
community February 19, 2005 J.

Evans said, "recognition of the Armenian Genocide is important." "Today
I will call it Armenian Genocide," Evans stated. US Administration
and officials are used to avoiding the term "genocide". "No US
official ever denied this fact – I believe playing with words in
this case would not suit Americans," Evans said. "I believe things
should be called their proper names, however US official policy has
not changed yet, as ties with Turkey are available within the NATO,
especially in the military field." "The Armenian Genocide was the
first genocide in the 20th century. I assure you that we are going
to work well over this problem," John Evans added.

Later on, when delivering a speech at the US Embassy in Armenia
February 28, 2005, John Evans wished to clarify his statement,
made February 19, reports IA Regnum. "I want to explain the US
policy. The definitions on the tragedy of Armenians in Ottoman
Turkey and future status of Nagorno Karabakh that I assumed during an
unofficial meeting with the US Armenian community can give cause for
misunderstanding." "In spite I noted that the US policy towards the
Armenian tragedy did not change, I used the word "genocide", which
reflected my personal point of view – that of John Evans and not a
politician. However, it was inappropriate," the Ambassador stated.