JOHN EVANS CALLED ON CONGRESS TO PASS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

Yerkir
26.04.2007 13:09

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) reaffirmed his
"hold" on the controversial nomination of Richard Hoagland to serve
as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia in his remarks today at an Armenian
Genocide observance organized by the Congressional Armenian Caucus
in Capitol Hill’s historic Cannon Caucus Room, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA)

The Bush Administration has twice nominated Richard Hoagland to
replace John Marshall Evans, a decorated career diplomat who was
fired last year by the Secretary of State for speaking truthfully
about the Armenian Genocide.

>>From the outset, the Hoagland nomination has been the focus
of intense controversy, first because of the State Department’s
willingness to explain its firing of Evans, and later due to his
denial of the Armenian Genocide in his responses to questions raised
during his confirmation hearing.

These remarks, which extended far beyond the euphemistic word games
traditionally employed by the State Department, sparked outrage among
Armenian Americans and widespread Congressional opposition to his
posting in Yerevan.

Looking to Ambassador Evans, who was seated in the first row of
the standing room only hall, Senator Menendez said, "I wish the
Ambassador was back in Armenia, but if we cannot get him there,
I refuse to release my hold on Ambassador Hoagland because of his
testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee."

The Senator added, to a sustained ovation, that, "the President
[should] appoint a new nominee who will represent the interests of
the United States and Armenia much better."

In his remarks, Ambassador John Evans, the program’s keynote speaker,
called upon Congress to pass the Armenian Genocide Resolution. In a
speech repeatedly interrupted by applause, he said, "If we dare not
call the 1915 events genocide, we make it more likely that current
genocides, such as that in Darfur, will continue and future genocides
will occur…

This is why, ladies and gentlemen, after 92 years, the time has come
to call a spade a spade. House Resolution 106 on the affirmation of
the United States record on the Armenian Genocide should be adopted
by the Congress." The former envoy continued, stressing: "History
does matter. Truth does matter.

Justice does matter."