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SENATOR MENENDEZ PRESSES U.S. AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE TO TURKEY ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
July 21, 2010 - 18:13 AMT 13:13 GMT
U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide, Cyprus, and the Ecumenical
Patriarchate took center stage at the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee hearing earlier today as Senator Robert Menendez pressed
U.S. Ambassador-designate to Turkey, Francis Ricciardone, on a range
of concerns dealing with America's increasingly strained ties with its
NATO ally, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
"I really think Turkey is an important ally but I also think that you
can't have, as the Chairman has talked about, the Ecumenical Patriarch
and the school at Halki and the persecution of religious freedom. You
can't have this type of unique relationship that you want with the
United States and vote against us on a critical question for the
world like Iran. You can't, ultimately, continue the most incredible
militarization when there is no threat to Turkey in the division
of Cyprus," explained Sen. Menendez in his remarks during today's
confirmation hearing. "I don't understand how the Turkish leadership
doesn't understand that it is in its interest to move beyond that
agenda or, for that fact, come to a historical recognition of what
most of the world recognizes as it relates to the Armenian Genocide."
In his prepared testimony presented to the panel, Ambassador-designate
Ricciardone echoed the standard formulation that the Obama
Administration has used to avoid honoring the President's campaign
pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide while still striving to
maintain a semblance of credibility on this human rights issue by
referring to the candidate Obama's "personal" recognition of this
crime: "Facilitating regional integration is a high priority for the
United States. Rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia will foster
increased stability and prosperity in the entire Caucasus region. As
President Obama noted in his Armenian Remembrance Day statement
of April 24th, 'Together, the Turkish and Armenian people will be
stronger as they acknowledge their common history and recognize their
common humanity.' We commended the governments of Turkey and Armenia on
their signing of the historic protocols on normalization of relations
on October 10, 2009 in Zurich. Both countries publicly reiterated
their commitment to normalization this spring. The United States will
continue to urge Turkey to ratify the protocols, and we will support
programs that build understanding between Turks and Armenians."
In response to a question from Senator Menendez about the issues he
would be "advocating as our Ambassador as it relates to the question
of the Armenian Genocide," Ricciardone recited the State Department's
stock answer on the topic: "Clearly we don't have personal policies
that you send us forward to push. We uphold the policies, the programs,
the laws, the interests of the United States Government, as given
to us by Congress and as determined by the Administration. On the
question of the Congressional resolution, obviously we stand behind
the statements of President Obama and Secretary Clinton.
President Obama has spoken very forcefully about the events of 1915
as one of the worst atrocities of the 20th Century. He cited the
number of 1.5 million people massacred, he used the word massacred,
and marching them to their deaths. He was very forthright about
it. Our aim of course is to do all possible to get a normalization
of Armenian-Turkish relations and a part of that clearly has to be a
frank, full, and just acknowledgment of the history these two people,
countries, share. And if confirmed, I will certainly be working for
that to the best of my ability in every way possible."
"President Obama - and Ambassador Ricciardone, if he is confirmed
- cannot, with any credibility - call on Turkey to accept a full,
frank, and just acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide while at the
same time so publicly, recklessly, and irresponsibly dodging proper
American recognition of this crime with word games and diplomatic half
measures," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "Our
interests as a nation, our values as a country, and our standing in
the world are best served, not when we cater to the undemocratic and
anti-human rights sensitivities of countries like Turkey, but rather
when we stand up for what we know is right, and true, and just."
Menendez followed up by asking if Ambassador-designate Ricciardone
had attended an Armenian Genocide commemoration during his past
diplomatic service in Turkey. Riccardone explained that that there
were none to attend, noting: "What I did do, as an individual officer,
in my very first tour, is go to the ghost town of Harpoot." "I don't
know if you've heard about it or know about it but it was one of the
scenes of a vibrant Armenian community. I went there, deliberately,
when I was Vice-Consul in Adana. When I was Charge [d'Affaires], I
visited with the Armenian Patriarch. When I was Charge [d'Affaires],
I also helped Armenian Americans in their visits there, helped them
make contacts," he stated.
From: A. Papazian
PanARMENIAN.Net
July 21, 2010 - 18:13 AMT 13:13 GMT
U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide, Cyprus, and the Ecumenical
Patriarchate took center stage at the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee hearing earlier today as Senator Robert Menendez pressed
U.S. Ambassador-designate to Turkey, Francis Ricciardone, on a range
of concerns dealing with America's increasingly strained ties with its
NATO ally, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
"I really think Turkey is an important ally but I also think that you
can't have, as the Chairman has talked about, the Ecumenical Patriarch
and the school at Halki and the persecution of religious freedom. You
can't have this type of unique relationship that you want with the
United States and vote against us on a critical question for the
world like Iran. You can't, ultimately, continue the most incredible
militarization when there is no threat to Turkey in the division
of Cyprus," explained Sen. Menendez in his remarks during today's
confirmation hearing. "I don't understand how the Turkish leadership
doesn't understand that it is in its interest to move beyond that
agenda or, for that fact, come to a historical recognition of what
most of the world recognizes as it relates to the Armenian Genocide."
In his prepared testimony presented to the panel, Ambassador-designate
Ricciardone echoed the standard formulation that the Obama
Administration has used to avoid honoring the President's campaign
pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide while still striving to
maintain a semblance of credibility on this human rights issue by
referring to the candidate Obama's "personal" recognition of this
crime: "Facilitating regional integration is a high priority for the
United States. Rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia will foster
increased stability and prosperity in the entire Caucasus region. As
President Obama noted in his Armenian Remembrance Day statement
of April 24th, 'Together, the Turkish and Armenian people will be
stronger as they acknowledge their common history and recognize their
common humanity.' We commended the governments of Turkey and Armenia on
their signing of the historic protocols on normalization of relations
on October 10, 2009 in Zurich. Both countries publicly reiterated
their commitment to normalization this spring. The United States will
continue to urge Turkey to ratify the protocols, and we will support
programs that build understanding between Turks and Armenians."
In response to a question from Senator Menendez about the issues he
would be "advocating as our Ambassador as it relates to the question
of the Armenian Genocide," Ricciardone recited the State Department's
stock answer on the topic: "Clearly we don't have personal policies
that you send us forward to push. We uphold the policies, the programs,
the laws, the interests of the United States Government, as given
to us by Congress and as determined by the Administration. On the
question of the Congressional resolution, obviously we stand behind
the statements of President Obama and Secretary Clinton.
President Obama has spoken very forcefully about the events of 1915
as one of the worst atrocities of the 20th Century. He cited the
number of 1.5 million people massacred, he used the word massacred,
and marching them to their deaths. He was very forthright about
it. Our aim of course is to do all possible to get a normalization
of Armenian-Turkish relations and a part of that clearly has to be a
frank, full, and just acknowledgment of the history these two people,
countries, share. And if confirmed, I will certainly be working for
that to the best of my ability in every way possible."
"President Obama - and Ambassador Ricciardone, if he is confirmed
- cannot, with any credibility - call on Turkey to accept a full,
frank, and just acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide while at the
same time so publicly, recklessly, and irresponsibly dodging proper
American recognition of this crime with word games and diplomatic half
measures," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "Our
interests as a nation, our values as a country, and our standing in
the world are best served, not when we cater to the undemocratic and
anti-human rights sensitivities of countries like Turkey, but rather
when we stand up for what we know is right, and true, and just."
Menendez followed up by asking if Ambassador-designate Ricciardone
had attended an Armenian Genocide commemoration during his past
diplomatic service in Turkey. Riccardone explained that that there
were none to attend, noting: "What I did do, as an individual officer,
in my very first tour, is go to the ghost town of Harpoot." "I don't
know if you've heard about it or know about it but it was one of the
scenes of a vibrant Armenian community. I went there, deliberately,
when I was Vice-Consul in Adana. When I was Charge [d'Affaires], I
visited with the Armenian Patriarch. When I was Charge [d'Affaires],
I also helped Armenian Americans in their visits there, helped them
make contacts," he stated.
From: A. Papazian