US SENDS AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA AFTER 2 YEARS

AP foreign
September 17 2008

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – The U.S. has sent an ambassador to Armenia,
more than two years after the previous one had his tour of duty
cut short.

The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan said Marie Yovanovitch arrived Wednesday
night to take up her new post. A career diplomat, she had previously
served as the U.S. ambassador in Kyrgyzstan.

The last ambassador was withdrawn in 2006 after he referred to
the World War I-era killings of Armenians in Turkey as genocide,
in defiance of U.S. policy.

Turkey denies the deaths constituted genocide, and the U.S. wants
to avoid damaging relations with the NATO member and important
strategic ally.

At her confirmation hearings, Yovanovitch explained U.S. policy but
would not comment on whether she believed genocide had occurred.