Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug 4 2007

Richard Hoagland not to be appointed as US Ambassador to Armenia

[ 04 Aug 2007 12:21 ]

Richard Hoagland withdrew his candidacy. This decision was made after
his candidacy was twice blocked the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee. Both times Sen. Robert Menendez from New Jersey placed
hold on Hoagland’s nomination.

On September 7, 2006 after Senator Robert Menendez’s efforts
Hoagland’s candidacy was blocked in the Senate. On December 1 the New
Jersey legislator joined with Majority Leader Harry Reid in calling
on the Administration to offer a new candidacy for this post. Such
attitude towards Richard Hoagland’s nomination is connected with his
denial of the Armenian Genocide in response to questions posed after
his June 2006 confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee. Former US Ambassador to Yerevan John Evans was
forced into early retirement last year, after he used the words
`Armenian Genocide’./APA/