FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Andrew Souvall
July 26, 2006
or Heather Lasher Todd
(202) 225-4671
PALLONE URGES SENATE TO BLOCK NOMINATION OF ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR
UNTIL GENOCIDE IS RECOGNIZED
Washington, D.C. — Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ,)
co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, made the
following statement yesterday on the floor of the House of
Representatives regarding the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s
consideration of the Bush Administration’s nomination of Robert
Hoagland as US Ambassador to Armenia:
"Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my concerns with the nomination
of Robert Hoagland as US Ambassador to Armenia. Many questions
regarding US policy on the Armenian Genocide remain unanswered and
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 policy’s denial of the Armenian Genocide. In
many instances, he did not respond to specific Senate inquiries. He
diverted his answers by responding with what seemed like prepared
talking points, and went to extreme lengths to avoid using the term
"genocide."
"Additionally, in a 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."
"The US has historically taken a leadership role in preventing
genocide and human rights, but the 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 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 Speaker, there are historical documents that cannot be refuted.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 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
communication 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 communication with State
Department officials following Ambassador Evans’ remarks. Still, the
State Department refutes these claims.
"This lack of honesty has been 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’s about time this
Administration started dictating a policy for Americans — 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
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 urge the Senate to block his nomination
until the Administration recognizes the Armenian Genocide."
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