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07/27/2006
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1. Rep. Pallone Urges Senate to Block Hoagland Nomination
2. Western Prelate Issues Appeal for Lebanon Victims
3. Rights Group Asks Kocharian to Include Refugee Issues in Talks

1. Rep. Pallone Urges Senate to Block Hoagland Nomination

WASHINGTON–In a July 25th speech on the House floor, Congressional Armenian
Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) called on the US Senate to block the
nomination of Richard Hoagland to serve as the next US Ambassador to Armenia,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
In his remarks, the New Jersey legislator outlined the reasons for his
opposition, notably Ambassador-designate Hoagland’s denial of the Armenian
Genocide and his evasiveness and lack of responsiveness to Senate inquiries.
He also highlighted the failure of the Administration to respond honestly to
communications it held with the Turkish government concerning the firing of
current US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans over his February 2005 remarks
affirming the Armenian Genocide.
Congressman Pallone closed his speech by noting his "fear that sending an
ambassador to Yerevan who denies the Armenian genocide would represent a
tragic
escalation in the Bush administration’s ignorance and support in Turkey’s
campaign of genocide denial. The State Department has reported to Senate
offices that they expect Ambassador Designate Hoagland to be confirmed
during a
business meeting early next week. I would urge the Senate to block his
nomination until this administration recognizes the Armenian genocide."

The full text of Congressman Pallone’s speech, excerpted from the July 25
Congressional Record, is provided below:

Ambassador Nominee Richard Hoagland

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to express my concerns with the
nomination of
Richard Hoagland as US Ambassador to Armenia . Many questions remain regarding
US policy on the Armenian genocide, and they remain unanswered. Key Senate
Foreign Relations Committee members continue to have serious misgivings about
the nomination.
Two weeks ago, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee considered Mr.
Hoagland’s nomination. During the hearing, Mr. Hoagland failed to adequately
respond to the questions asked by the Senators, including not clarifying the
US’s policy in the denial of the Armenian genocide. In many instances, he did
not respond to specific Senate inquires. He diverted his answers by responding
with what seemed like prepared talking points, and went to great lengths to
avoid using the term genocide.
Additionally, in response to a written inquiry from Senator John Kerry
concerning Turkey’s criminal prosecution of journalists for writing about the
Armenian genocide, Mr. Hoagland referred to these writings as allegations.
Mr. Speaker, the US has historically taken a leadership role in preventing
genocide and human rights violations, but the Bush administration continues to
play word games by not calling evil by its proper name. Instead, they refer to
the mass killings of 1.5 million Armenians as tragic events. This term cannot
be substituted for genocide. The two words are simply not synonymous.
Mr. Speaker, there are historical documents that cannot be refuted, yet
somehow the Administration continues to ignore the truth in fear of offending
another government.
The Bush administration has not offered a meaningful explanation of its
reasons for firing the current US Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans. In fact,
the State Department’s assertion that it did not receive any communications
from the Turkish Government concerning Ambassador Evans’ February 2005
affirmation of the Armenian genocide is simply not credible.
Official Department of Justice filings by the Turkish Government’s registered
foreign agent, the Livingston Group, document that there are at least four
different occasions of communications with State
Department officials following Ambassador Evans’ remarks affirming the
Armenian genocide. Still, the State Department refutes these claims.
Mr. Speaker, this lack of honesty has been an all too common practice of the
Bush administration. The American people and this Congress deserve a full and
truthful account of the role of the Turkish Government in denying the Armenian
genocide. Our Nation’s response to genocide should not be denigrated to a
level
acceptable to the Turkish Government. It is bout time the Bush administration
started dictating a policy for Americans and not for a foreign government.
Mr. Speaker, I fear that sending an ambassador to Yerevan who denies the
Armenian genocide would represent a tragic escalation in the Bush
administration’s ignorance and support in Turkey’s campaign of genocide
denial. The State Department has reported to
Senate offices that they expect Ambassador Designate Hoagland to be confirmed
during a business meeting early next week. I would urge the Senate to block
his
nomination until this administration recognizes the Armenian genocide.

2. Western Prelate Issues Appeal for Lebanon Victims

Western Prelate, Archbishop Moushegh Madirossian issued an appeal to the
Armenian community to assist in humanitarian efforts and prayers for the
victims of the ongoing Israeli bombing of Lebanon, reported the Western
Prelacy. Below is the translated text of the appeal:

"Let Us Reach Out to the Victims in Lebanon"
We know that our faithful have been following the calamity in Lebanon that
has
caused suffering for all the Lebanese people, but especially for innocent
civilians.
We would like to keep the public informed about appeals that have been
made to
His Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, in support of Lebanon
and the aid offered to the victims.
The Prelate has been in constant contact with His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos
of the Great House of Cilicia, to become better informed about the situation
and to hear the suggestions of His Holiness. on how we can lend a helping hand
to the Lebanese people and especially our Armenian brethren. As stated in our
previous press release, the Prelate celebrated the Feast of the
Transfiguration
of our Lord on Sunday July 23, at St. Garabed Church in Hollywood, where he
also urged the faithful to provide aid to Lebanon. On this same day, a
special
prayer was also offered in all Prelacy churches for peace and for the innocent
victims.
The Prelate has also been in regular contact with the Consul General of
Lebanon. The Prelacy has representatives on a committee established by the
Consulate General to work towards securing assistance for Lebanon. The
representatives are delegates Mr. Hrair Balian and Mr. Ghazaros Ghazarossian.
Reflecting on the situation, the Prelate stated, "Lebanon and its people are
once again subjected to dreadful conditions, at a time when the wounds from
previous conflicts had not completely healed yet. Under the current
situation,
the Lebanese people and the Armenian community there are in need of assistance
and support. Taking this opportunity, I would like to once again extend a
plea
to our Prelacy faithful and community organizations to assist the victims of
Lebanon to the best of their abilities. We also pray for the fighting to come
to an end as soon as possible and for peace to be restored in the country."

3. Rights Group Asks Kocharian to Include Refugee Issues in Talks

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–Refugees and International Law civil association network has
sent an open letter to Armenian President Robert Kocharian. The text of the
letter is presented below:

Your Excellency,

Refugees and International Law civil association network, with a mission to
protect rights of Armenian refugees expelled from Soviet Azerbaijan and
Nakhichevan by force, suggests that you include the issue of 500,000 Armenian
refugees in the agenda of your talks on the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. Any settlement, leaving out restoration and full protection of
rights
of hundreds of our compatriots is not satisfactory.
Problems of Armenian refugees can be divided into three main categories:
1. Acquiring a Fatherland,
2. Compensation of direct material and moral damage, resulting from
deportation
from Soviet Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan
3. Compensation of indirect material and moral damage, resulting from
deportation from Soviet Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan.
Surveys among Armenian refugees indicate that they will not return to their
previous residences under the jurisdiction of the Azerbaijan. We already
had an
opportunity to state that as the Azerbaijan has refused to become the
successor
of the Soviet Azerbaijan, the only legal successor of the latter is the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
If Armenian refugees from Soviet Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan are granted
Nagorno-Karabakh citizenship and if they get territories, outside the
boundaries, within which the Karabakh was declared, but on which it has
jurisdiction over today, this can partially solve their problems.
Refugees and International Law civil association network has also appealed to
the US Embassy in Armenia, suggesting that it organizes a meeting with OSCE
Minsk Group’s US Co-Chair Matthew Bryza. During this meeting the group
plans to
submit a message to Mr. Bryza, addressed to Minsk Group co-chairs and discuss
issues and concerns facing Armenian refugees."
The same organization sent a similar message to Azeri President Ilham Aliyev.

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