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[Congressional Record: July 25, 2006 (House)]
[Page H5818-H5819]
>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr25jy06-154]
AMBASSADOR NOMINEE ROBERT HOAGLAND
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to express my concerns
with the nomination of Robert Hoagland as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.
Many questions remain regarding U.S. policy on the Armenian genocide,
and they remain unanswered. Key Senate Foreign Relations Committee
members continue to have serious misgivings about the nomination.
Two weeks ago, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee considered Mr.
Hoagland's nomination. During the hearing, Mr. Hoagland failed to
adequately respond to the questions asked by the Senators, including
not clarifying the U.S.'s policy in the denial of the Armenian
genocide. In many instances, he did not respond to specific Senate
inquires. He diverted his answers by responding with what seemed like
prepared talking points, and went to great lengths to avoid using the
term genocide.
Additionally, in response to a written inquiry from Senator John
Kerry concerning Turkey's criminal prosecution of journalists for
writing about the Armenian genocide, Mr. Hoagland referred to these
writings as allegations.
Mr. Speaker, the U.S. has historically taken a leadership role in
preventing genocide and human rights violations, but the Bush
administration continues to play word games by not calling evil by its
proper name. Instead, they refer to the mass killings of 1.5 million
Armenians as tragic events. This term cannot be substituted for
genocide. The two words are simply not synonymous.
Mr. Speaker, there are historical documents that cannot be refuted,
yet somehow the administration continues to ignore the truth in fear of
offending another government.
The Bush administration has not offered a meaningful explanation of
its reasons for firing the current U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John
Evans. In fact, the State Department's assertion that it did not
receive any communications from the Turkish Government concerning
Ambassador Evans' February 2005 affirmation of the Armenian genocide is
simply not credible.
Official Department of Justice filings by the Turkish Government's
registered foreign agent, the Livingston Group, document that there are
at least four different occasions of communications with State
Department officials following Ambassador Evans' remarks affirming the
Armenian genocide. Still, the State Department refutes these claims.
Mr. Speaker, this lack of honesty has been an all too common practice
of the Bush administration. The American people and this Congress
deserve a full and truthful account of the role of the Turkish
Government in denying the Armenian genocide. Our Nation's response to
genocide should not be denigrated to a level acceptable to the Turkish
Government. It is about time the Bush administration started dictating
a policy for Americans and not for a foreign government.
Mr. Speaker, I fear that sending an ambassador to Yerevan who denies
the Armenian genocide would represent a tragic escalation in the Bush
administration's ignorance and support in Turkey's campaign of genocide
denial. The State Department has reported to Senate offices that they
expect Ambassador Designate Hoagland to be confirmed during a business
meeting early next week. I would urge the Senate to block his
nomination until this administration recognizes the Armenian genocide.
[Page H5818-H5819]
>From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr25jy06-154]
AMBASSADOR NOMINEE ROBERT HOAGLAND
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to express my concerns
with the nomination of Robert Hoagland as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.
Many questions remain regarding U.S. policy on the Armenian genocide,
and they remain unanswered. Key Senate Foreign Relations Committee
members continue to have serious misgivings about the nomination.
Two weeks ago, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee considered Mr.
Hoagland's nomination. During the hearing, Mr. Hoagland failed to
adequately respond to the questions asked by the Senators, including
not clarifying the U.S.'s policy in the denial of the Armenian
genocide. In many instances, he did not respond to specific Senate
inquires. He diverted his answers by responding with what seemed like
prepared talking points, and went to great lengths to avoid using the
term genocide.
Additionally, in response to a written inquiry from Senator John
Kerry concerning Turkey's criminal prosecution of journalists for
writing about the Armenian genocide, Mr. Hoagland referred to these
writings as allegations.
Mr. Speaker, the U.S. has historically taken a leadership role in
preventing genocide and human rights violations, but the Bush
administration continues to play word games by not calling evil by its
proper name. Instead, they refer to the mass killings of 1.5 million
Armenians as tragic events. This term cannot be substituted for
genocide. The two words are simply not synonymous.
Mr. Speaker, there are historical documents that cannot be refuted,
yet somehow the administration continues to ignore the truth in fear of
offending another government.
The Bush administration has not offered a meaningful explanation of
its reasons for firing the current U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John
Evans. In fact, the State Department's assertion that it did not
receive any communications from the Turkish Government concerning
Ambassador Evans' February 2005 affirmation of the Armenian genocide is
simply not credible.
Official Department of Justice filings by the Turkish Government's
registered foreign agent, the Livingston Group, document that there are
at least four different occasions of communications with State
Department officials following Ambassador Evans' remarks affirming the
Armenian genocide. Still, the State Department refutes these claims.
Mr. Speaker, this lack of honesty has been an all too common practice
of the Bush administration. The American people and this Congress
deserve a full and truthful account of the role of the Turkish
Government in denying the Armenian genocide. Our Nation's response to
genocide should not be denigrated to a level acceptable to the Turkish
Government. It is about time the Bush administration started dictating
a policy for Americans and not for a foreign government.
Mr. Speaker, I fear that sending an ambassador to Yerevan who denies
the Armenian genocide would represent a tragic escalation in the Bush
administration's ignorance and support in Turkey's campaign of genocide
denial. The State Department has reported to Senate offices that they
expect Ambassador Designate Hoagland to be confirmed during a business
meeting early next week. I would urge the Senate to block his
nomination until this administration recognizes the Armenian genocide.