Vote on Hoagland Nomination Delayed till September

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 14:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), the Ranking Democrat
on the Foreign Relations Committee, was joined today by Senator John
Kerry (D-MA) in forcing a month-long delay in the Committee’s vote
on the controversial nomination of Richard Hoagland to replace the
current U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

The controversy within the Foreign Relations Committee over the
Hoagland nomination began with Senator Biden’s June 23rd letter
asking Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to respond to a series
of questions, including specific inquiries about reports that the
current Ambassador had been recalled due to his having "accurately
described the Armenian Genocide as genocide."

"The ANCA welcomes the leadership of Senators Biden and Kerry in
ensuring that the Foreign Relations Committee has the time to more
carefully consider the implications – for both our foreign policy and
our values as a nation – of confirming a U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
who is on record denying the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA Chairman Ken
Hachikian. "We appreciate, as well, the principled efforts of Senators
Allen, Boxer, Chafee, Coleman, Dodd, Feingold, Kennedy, Reed, Sarbanes,
and others to seek an honest explanation of the firing of Ambassador
Evans, to explore the role of the Turkish government in his recall,
and to insist that the Administration clearly articulate its stand
on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide."