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Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ANCA CALLS FOR WHITE HOUSE WITHDRAWAL OF HOAGLAND NOMINATION
-- Asks Senators to Urge President Bush to Drop
Controversial Candidate for U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
WASHINGTON, DC - Citing the growing controversy surrounding
Ambassador-designate Dick Hoagland's denial of the Armenian
Genocide - as reflected by the "hold" placed by Senator Bob
Menendez on his confirmation - the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA) has asked members of the U.S. Senate to call on
President Bush to withdraw his nomination for the next U.S.
Ambassador to Armenia.
In letters sent on November 8th to all one hundred Senators, ANCA
Chairman Ken Hachikian stressed that: "Very simply, a genocide
denier cannot effectively promote U.S. interests or American values
in Armenia - a country that rose from the ashes of Turkey's
genocidal campaign." He added that, "confirming an Ambassador to
Armenia who denies the Armenian Genocide would dramatically
undermine U.S. diplomacy in Armenia and mark a major retreat from
our nation's noble commitment to genocide prevention." Community
activists across the country are echoing this message in thousands
of ANCA WebFaxes being sent to Senate offices from the ANCA website
- www.anca.org.
In announcing his decision to block the Hoagland nomination on
September 12, 2006, Senator Menendez (D-NJ) highlighted the
principled stand taken by former U.S. Ambassador John Evans, who,
by all accounts, was fired for speaking truthfully about the
Armenian Genocide. The New Jersey legislator stated that he has
"great concerns that Mr. Hoagland's confirmation would be a step
backward."
Neither Ambassador-designate Hoagland, nor the Department of State,
have taken any meaningful steps to address the three concerns
raised by the ANCA in opposition to the Hoagland nomination. In a
September 1st letter to members of the U.S. Senate, the ANCA called
for Senate opposition to the Hoagland nomination until:
1) Ambassador-designate Hoagland provides a responsible and
unambiguous public statement affirming that he does not question
the clear genocidal intent of the Ottoman Turkish government
against its Armenian population.
2) The State Department provides a full, honest, and public
explanation regarding the reasons for the controversial firing of
the current Ambassador, John Marshall Evans.
3) The Administration explains any and all communications, directly
or indirectly, between the U.S. government and the Turkish
government concerning Ambassador Evans.
For an overview of the firing of Ambassador Evans and the Hoagland
controversy, visit:
http://www.anca.org/hoagland_controversy.ph p
The full text of the November 8, 2006 ANCA letter is provided
below.
#####
Dear Senator __________:
I am writing to respectfully call on you to urge President Bush to
withdraw the deeply flawed and increasingly controversial
nomination of Dick Hoagland as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.
As we have shared with you on several occasions, Ambassador-
designate Hoagland's statements denying the Armenian Genocide
disqualify him from serving in an effective capacity as America's
representative in Yerevan. As you recall, in his written responses
to questions posed to him during his confirmation hearing, he went
far beyond the bounds of the Administration's already deeply flawed
policy, actually calling into question the Armenian Genocide as a
historical fact. His statements are all the more troubling in
light of the White House's continued refusal to explain why it
fired the previous U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, or to
reveal the role that Turkey played in his dismissal.
Very simply, a genocide denier cannot effectively promote U.S.'
interests or American values in Armenia - a country that rose from
the ashes of Turkey's genocidal campaign. Confirming an Ambassador
to Armenia who denies the Armenian Genocide would dramatically
undermine U.S. diplomacy in Armenia and would mark a major retreat
from our nation's noble commitment to genocide prevention.
Based on these considerations, I respectfully call on you to
publicly support the hold placed by Senator Robert Menendez and to
urge the White House to withdraw the Hoagland nomination.
Thank you for your consideration of the concerns of the Armenian
American community on this matter. We would, of course, be pleased
to meet with you to discuss this matter in person, or to forward to
you additional materials in support of our request. If you have
any questions, please contact the Armenian National Committee of
America at (202) 775-1918 or [email protected].
Sincerely yours,
[signed]
Kenneth V. Hachikian
Chairman
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ANCA CALLS FOR WHITE HOUSE WITHDRAWAL OF HOAGLAND NOMINATION
-- Asks Senators to Urge President Bush to Drop
Controversial Candidate for U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
WASHINGTON, DC - Citing the growing controversy surrounding
Ambassador-designate Dick Hoagland's denial of the Armenian
Genocide - as reflected by the "hold" placed by Senator Bob
Menendez on his confirmation - the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA) has asked members of the U.S. Senate to call on
President Bush to withdraw his nomination for the next U.S.
Ambassador to Armenia.
In letters sent on November 8th to all one hundred Senators, ANCA
Chairman Ken Hachikian stressed that: "Very simply, a genocide
denier cannot effectively promote U.S. interests or American values
in Armenia - a country that rose from the ashes of Turkey's
genocidal campaign." He added that, "confirming an Ambassador to
Armenia who denies the Armenian Genocide would dramatically
undermine U.S. diplomacy in Armenia and mark a major retreat from
our nation's noble commitment to genocide prevention." Community
activists across the country are echoing this message in thousands
of ANCA WebFaxes being sent to Senate offices from the ANCA website
- www.anca.org.
In announcing his decision to block the Hoagland nomination on
September 12, 2006, Senator Menendez (D-NJ) highlighted the
principled stand taken by former U.S. Ambassador John Evans, who,
by all accounts, was fired for speaking truthfully about the
Armenian Genocide. The New Jersey legislator stated that he has
"great concerns that Mr. Hoagland's confirmation would be a step
backward."
Neither Ambassador-designate Hoagland, nor the Department of State,
have taken any meaningful steps to address the three concerns
raised by the ANCA in opposition to the Hoagland nomination. In a
September 1st letter to members of the U.S. Senate, the ANCA called
for Senate opposition to the Hoagland nomination until:
1) Ambassador-designate Hoagland provides a responsible and
unambiguous public statement affirming that he does not question
the clear genocidal intent of the Ottoman Turkish government
against its Armenian population.
2) The State Department provides a full, honest, and public
explanation regarding the reasons for the controversial firing of
the current Ambassador, John Marshall Evans.
3) The Administration explains any and all communications, directly
or indirectly, between the U.S. government and the Turkish
government concerning Ambassador Evans.
For an overview of the firing of Ambassador Evans and the Hoagland
controversy, visit:
http://www.anca.org/hoagland_controversy.ph p
The full text of the November 8, 2006 ANCA letter is provided
below.
#####
Dear Senator __________:
I am writing to respectfully call on you to urge President Bush to
withdraw the deeply flawed and increasingly controversial
nomination of Dick Hoagland as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.
As we have shared with you on several occasions, Ambassador-
designate Hoagland's statements denying the Armenian Genocide
disqualify him from serving in an effective capacity as America's
representative in Yerevan. As you recall, in his written responses
to questions posed to him during his confirmation hearing, he went
far beyond the bounds of the Administration's already deeply flawed
policy, actually calling into question the Armenian Genocide as a
historical fact. His statements are all the more troubling in
light of the White House's continued refusal to explain why it
fired the previous U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, or to
reveal the role that Turkey played in his dismissal.
Very simply, a genocide denier cannot effectively promote U.S.'
interests or American values in Armenia - a country that rose from
the ashes of Turkey's genocidal campaign. Confirming an Ambassador
to Armenia who denies the Armenian Genocide would dramatically
undermine U.S. diplomacy in Armenia and would mark a major retreat
from our nation's noble commitment to genocide prevention.
Based on these considerations, I respectfully call on you to
publicly support the hold placed by Senator Robert Menendez and to
urge the White House to withdraw the Hoagland nomination.
Thank you for your consideration of the concerns of the Armenian
American community on this matter. We would, of course, be pleased
to meet with you to discuss this matter in person, or to forward to
you additional materials in support of our request. If you have
any questions, please contact the Armenian National Committee of
America at (202) 775-1918 or [email protected].
Sincerely yours,
[signed]
Kenneth V. Hachikian
Chairman