ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF AMERICA
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PRESS RELEASE
July 14, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Email: [email protected]
AMBASSADORIAL NOMINEE ATTEMPTS TO DIFFERENTIATE
U.S. POLICY FROM TURKEY’S GENOCIDE DENIAL
— Cites "President’s Prerogative" to Set Policy on
Historical Events
WASHINGTON, DC -U.S. Ambassador Designate to Armenia, Marie
Yovanovitch, in the last of her eights sets of written responses to
questions from members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
attempted to distance U.S. policy from Turkey’s outright denial of
the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA).
In response to a series of questions posed by panel member Russell
Feingold (D-WI) regarding the difference between the U.S. and
Turkish government’s policies on recognizing the Armenian Genocide,
the nominee stated that: "In contrast to the Turkish government’s
policy, the U.S. Government acknowledges and mourns as historical
fact the mass killings, ethnic cleansing, and forced deportations
that devastated over one and a half million Armenians at the end of
the Ottoman Empire." The full text of the questions and responses
are provided below.
"We remain disappointed that Ambassador Designate Yovanovitch
provided evasive answers and non-responses in reply to Senator
Feingold’s clearly articulated questions. We are troubled by her
assertion that it is somehow an appropriate ‘prerogative’ of the
President – in complete disregard of the facts and counter to our
nation’s common morality – to allow a foreign country to impose a
gag rule on America’s defense of human rights," said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "We do, at the same
time, note that the nominee makes at least a token effort to
distance U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide — as profoundly
flawed as it is — from the Turkish government’s position of
outright denial."
Ambassador Yovanovitch appeared as a witness before the Committee
on June 19th. During this appearance, she faced a series of
pointed questions from Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) regarding the
Bush Administration’s policy to mischaracterize the Armenian
Genocide. Afterwards eight Senators submitted a series of written
inquiries to the nominee. Concerned that Senators had not been
given enough time to review Ms. Yovanovitch’s responses, with many
submitted less than 24 hours before the impending Committee vote,
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) called for a delay in Senate
consideration, until Senators had a clearer picture of the
nominee’s position. A Committee decision on this posting is
expected in mid-July.
President Bush nominated Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch in March of this
year to serve as America’s next Ambassador to Armenia. The ANCA
has spoken to Committee members about the value of carefully
questioning Amb. Yovanovitch on the many issues she will face as
the U.S. envoy in Yerevan, among them the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide, Turkey and Azerbaijan’s ongoing blockades of
Armenia, and the need for a balanced U.S. role in helping forge a
democratic and peaceful resolution to the Nagorno Karabagh
conflict.
President Bush’s previous nominee as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia,
Richard Hoagland, was subject to two legislative holds by Sen.
Menendez and was ultimately withdrawn by the Administration,
following the nominee’s statements denying the Armenian Genocide.
The ANCA led the Armenian American community campaign opposing
Hoagland’s nomination, stating that a genocide denier could not
serve as a credible and effective U.S. spokesperson in Armenia.
#####
Questions for the Record Submitted to
Ambassador-Designate Marie L. Yovanovitch by
Senator Russell Feingold (#1)
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
June 19, 2008
Question:
What conditions must be met for the Administration to finally
recognize the slaughter of over 1.5 million Armenians during WWI by
the Ottoman Empire as "genocide"? Specifically, if the Republic of
Turkey recognized the genocide, would the United States then
recognize it also? Additionally, how is the President’s policy on
recognizing the Armenian Genocide different from the Turkish
government’s policy?
Answer:
In contrast to the Turkish government’s policy, the U.S. Government
acknowledges and mourns as historical fact the mass killings,
ethnic cleansing, and forced deportations that devastated over one
and a half million Armenians at the end of the Ottoman Empire. The
United States recognizes these events as one of the greatest
tragedies of the 20th century, the "Medz Yeghern," or Great
Calamity, as many Armenians refer to it. That is why every April
the President honors the victims and expresses American solidarity
with the Armenian people on Remembrance Day. It is the prerogative
of the President to set the policy on how the Administration
characterizes these historical events.
We have strongly encouraged Turkey to come to terms with its past.
That will not be easy, just as it has not been easy for the United
States to come to terms with dark periods of our own past.
Questions for the Record Submitted to
Ambassador-Designate Marie L. Yovanovitch by
Senator Russell Feingold (#2)
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
June 19, 2008
Question:
Should you be confirmed, how will you work to promote Armenian-
Turkish reconciliation in a direction that would lead to full
recognition of the Armenian genocide by Turkey and the United
States? Additionally, how would you support efforts to promote
overall reconciliation and improved relations between Armenia and
Azerbaijan?
Answer:
If confirmed, I will continue this Administration’s efforts to
promote Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and normalization of
relations. Specifically, I will continue, working with our Embassy
in Ankara, Administration efforts to encourage Turkey to open its
land border, reinstitute transportation, communication, and utility
links between the two countries, and re-establish diplomatic
relations. Contact begins to build trust, and trust is the
necessary first step to reconciliation, facilitating Turkey’s
ability and willingness to examine the dark spots in its own
history.
The Administration, through our Embassy in Ankara, also will be
pressing for expanded freedom of expression in Turkey, helping to
expand the public debate surrounding the events of 1915 that led to
the amendment of Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, under which
individuals have been prosecuted for "insulting Turkishness." We
welcome this progress, though clearly there is more to be done.
The Administration will continue to encourage the Turkish
authorities to end legal action against citizens for expressing
their views.
As a Minsk Group Co-Chair nation, we believe the single most
important step toward bolstering peace and prosperity in Armenia as
well as Azerbaijan would be a peaceful, just, and lasting
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. During the past two
years, the parties have moved closer than ever to a framework
agreement based on the Basic Principles that have been the subject
of intensive negotiations, thanks in large part to the active
mediation of the United States as a Co-Chair of the OSCE’s Minsk
Group. The Minsk Group Co-Chairs remain fully committed to helping
Armenia and Azerbaijan finalize these Basic Principles, and hope to
build momentum in the coming months after an introductory meeting
between Presidents Sargsyan and Aliyev in St. Petersburg on June 6. If I
am confirmed, I would uphold our commitment to support the efforts
of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to sustain the negotiations and narrow
the differences between the sides to promote the soonest possible
endorsement of the Basic Principles, so the parties can proceed on
this basis with drafting a peace agreement.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
