STATE DEPARTMENT MISLED SENATE ON TURKISH COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT AMB. EVANS

WASHINGTON, JULY 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. In yet another
troubling development concerning the controversial nomination of
Richard Hoagland to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, Department
of Justice records have revealed that the State Department has
misled the U.S. Senate regarding its communications with the Turkish
government concerning the February 2005 public affirmation of the
Armenian Genocide by U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

In a letter, dated June 28, 2006 written on behalf of Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice to Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), the
Ranking Democrat of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
the State Department denied that the Turkish government had even
approached the Administration on this issue. However, official
Foreign Agent Registration filings by the Turkish government’s
registered foreign agent, the Livingston Group, document that, in
the days following Ambassador Evans’ February 19, 2005 remarks, one
of Turkey’s agents communicated on at least four different occasions
with State Department officials concerning the envoy’s statement and
his subsequent retraction.

"With each new revelation, we see more clearly the corrosive
impact that the Administration’s complicity in Turkey’s denial is
having on our own core values as Americans," said ANCA Chairman Ken
Hachikian. "This latest failed attempt by the State Department to
mislead the Senate adds to the many compelling reasons to block the
confirmation of a new Ambassador to Armenia."

Consistent with the pattern of unresponsiveness that has come to
characterize the Administration’s actions on the Hoagland nomination,
the only answer the State Department chose to provide in response
to Senator Biden’s four questions was a misleading one. His other
inquiries – including an official request for an explanation of why
Ambassador Evans was being replaced prematurely – remain unanswered.

On June 23rd, as part of Ambassador Richard Hoagland’s confirmation
process to replace Amb. Evans in Yerevan, Senator Biden wrote a letter
asking Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice a series of questions
including the following: "Has the State Department received any
communication – written, electronic, or spoken – from the Turkish
Government concerning Ambassador Evans?"

Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs Jeffrey T. Bergner
responded on behalf of Secretary Rice with the following assertion:
"Please be assured that allegations that the U.S. is removing
Ambassador Evans under pressure from the Government of Turkey
are simply untrue. The Government of Turkey has not approached the
Administration on this issue, and the United States and Turkey engaged
in no diplomatic exchanges related to this matter."

However, Justice Department filings by the Livingston Group reveal
that a day after Amb. Evans’ statements on the Armenian Genocide were
publicized in an ANCA-San Francisco press release dated February
24, 2005, a Turkish agent communicated with the State Department
concerning his statements. On February 28, 2005, one business day
after the agent’s first phone call, Ambassador Evans issued his
first public retraction – noting that his mention of the Armenian
Genocide was made in a private capacity. Later that same day, the
Livingston Group reported three additional calls between one of
Turkey’s agents and State Department officials including the Deputy
Chief of Mission-designate at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara to discuss
Ambassador Evans’ retraction. The very next day on March 1, 2005,
Ambassador Evans issued a public correction of his retraction –
removing entirely any mention of the Armenian Genocide.

In addition to the Justice Department filings, several Turkish
press accounts reported that officials of the Government of Turkey
communicated their concerns to the State Department regarding
statements made by Ambassador Evans:

1) Turkish Press

On March 3, 2005, Turkish Press reported that, "Turkey’s Ambassador
in Washington Faruk Logoglu reacted to this. Ambassador Logoglu
reminded his interlocutors in the State Department that the United
States did not recognize ‘Armenian genocide’ noting the expression
in Evans’ apology was unacceptable. Justifying Turkey’s warning,
US State Department made Evans to issue a ‘correction’ for the
apology." ("Evans Had to Correct His Statement Again After Using
‘Genocide’ in His Apology," Turkish Press, March 3, 2005)

2) Anadolu News Agency

On March 4, 2005, the Anadolu News Agency reported that, "The Turkish
ambassador to Washington Faruk Logoglu reacted to this message and
the Washington administration approved Turkey’s demand and made
Evans correct the message of apology. Logoglu reminded the US State
Department that the US does not recognize the Armenian genocide,
but the term was used in the message of apology of the US Yerevan
Ambassador. Logoglu noted that a term that is not accepted by USA could
not be used in a statement of policy." ("Double Genocide Correction
from US Yerevan Ambassador," Anadolu News Agency, March 04, 2005)

3) Turkish Daily News

On May 27, 2006, Turkish Daily News reported that, "’After his remarks
last year that caused reaction at the State Department and by Turkey,
Evans was gi ven a second chance, but he continued to deviate from the
official U.S. policy, working almost as a part of Armenian groups
that have a specific agenda,’ one U.S. analyst familiar with the
matter said on Thursday. ‘As a result he was recalled.’" ("US Envoy
Fired Over ‘Genocide’ Claims," Turkish Daily News, May 27, 2006)

The ANCA has circulated relevant sections of the Justice Department
FARA filings to Congressional offices.