ANCA INTENDS TO KEEP OPPOSING RICHARD HOAGLAND’S COMING TO ARMENIA

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 8 2006

YEREVAN, September 8. /ARKA/. Armenian National Committee Of America
– ANCA – intends to keep opposing Richard Hoagland’s appointment to
the post of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.

Hoagland’s nomination was approved by the Senate’s committee for
foreign relations on September 7 by 13 votes. Five voted against. Now
the candidacy needs Senate’s approval.

ANCA Executive Director Aram Amparyan said in a statement issued on
Friday that ANCA is going to continue blocking Hoagland’s candidacy
until he admit publicly the fact of Armenian Genocide.

In his statement, Amparyan also expressed gratitude to those senators
who have cast their votes against Hoagland.

Before his new appointment, Hoagland were on diplomatic mission
in Tajikistan as the U.S. Ambassador. Hoagland has made it clear
that will stick to the stance taken by the U.S. President and his
administration on Armenian Genocide fact admission.

His predecessor, John Evans, has been recalled from his mission in
Armenia because of his repeated statements made in 2004 and 2005 in
California University about the genocide fact admission. Later the
ambassador said that he had expressed his own, not official view.