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ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
July 13, 2011
Contact: Press Department
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434
SENATOR MENENDEZ DESCRIBES ADMINISTRATION POSITION ON ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE AS "UNTENABLE"
Armenian Assembly of America reserves judgment until it reads
nominee's responses to written questions
Washington, DC - Mr. John Heffern, the Administration's nominee to
serve as Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of
Armenia faced a series of questions on a range of issues during
today's Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing chaired by Senator
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), reported the Armenian Assembly of America
(Assembly).
Presiding over the hearing, Foreign Relations Subcommittee Chair on
European Affairs, Senator Shaheen began the round of questioning and
touched on the Protocols between Armenia and Turkey, the current
status of the Nagorno Karabakh talks and prospects for peace, as well
as the importance of democracy and free and fair elections, especially
in the context of the upcoming national elections in Armenia in 2012
and 2013. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) emphasized the importance of
democratization and queried Mr. Heffern about the steps he would take
to assist Armenia's development.
In response to Senator Shaheen's questions, Mr. Heffern indicated that
the United States strongly supported the Protocols signed between
Armenia and Turkey in October of 2009, and indicated that the
Administration remains "committed to doing whatever we can to
encourage the two parties to get the protocols back on track." Mr.
Heffern also stated that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "has made
it clear" that "the ball is in Turkey's court." With respect to the
Nagorno Karabakh peace process, Mr. Heffern noted that President
Barack Obama and Secretary Clinton have been "deeply involved" and
"remain committed" to the OSCE Minsk Group process to find "a lasting,
peaceful and just solution to this conflict."
On the democracy front, Mr. Heffern noted a series of positive steps
that the Armenian government has taken in the last six months and
indicated that if confirmed he would continue to build on this
progress and the work of former Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch.
The Armenian Assembly has consistently supported the presence of a
U.S. Ambassador in Armenia to build on the positive and growing
bilateral relationship. In Mr. Heffern's opening testimony, he
indicated that "the Obama Administration has strengthened U.S.
relations with Armenia" and noted that last April the Presidents "of
our two countries held their first bilateral meeting in 10 years and,
when Secretary Clinton visited Yerevan last year, it was the first
visit by a Secretary of State to Armenia in 19 years."
Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) welcomed Mr. Heffern's opening
statement which reiterated President Obama's position on the Armenian
Genocide: "President Obama has recognized and deplored the horrific
events that took place in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire. He
has publicly called the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians at this time
one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century. The President has
urged Turkey and Armenia to work through their painful history to
achieve a full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the facts. If
confirmed, I will do my best to fulfill the President's vision."
Senator Menendez outlined the facts and discussed several historical
documents pertaining to the Armenian Genocide, including various
cables from U.S. officials serving at the time of the Genocide as well
as Article II of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Menendez asked Mr. Heffern if he
disputed any of the facts presented, of which Mr. Heffern did not.
Senator Menendez also asked if Mr. Heffern believed that the facts
presented, including those in Mr. Heffern's opening statement fit the
definition of Article II of the Genocide Convention. Heffern responded
in the affirmative, but indicated that the characterization of the
events was a policy decision as reflected in the President's April
24th statement.
In closing, Senator Menendez expressed his continued frustration with
Administration policy by stating that this is "an inartful dance that
we do. We have a State Department whose history full of dispatches
cites the atrocities committed during this period of time. We have a
Convention from which we signed on to as a signatory that clearly
defines these acts as genocide. We have a historical knowledge of the
facts which we accept that would amount to genocide, but we are
unwilling to reference it as genocide. And if we cannot accept the
past we cannot move forward, and so I find it very difficult to be
sending diplomats of the United States to a country in which they will
go, and I hope you will go, as some of your predecessors have, to a
Genocide commemoration and yet never be able to use the word genocide.
It is much more than a question of a word. It is everything that
signifies our commitment to saying 'Never Again' and yet we cannot
even acknowledge this fact and we put diplomats in a position that I
think is totally untenable."
"The Armenian Assembly welcomes the continued efforts of Senator
Menendez to ensure that the facts of the Armenian Genocide are brought
to the forefront and not denied. We concur with the Senator that the
Administration's current policy is untenable." The Assembly strongly
believes that America's long-term interests would be better served by
speaking the truth and squarely affirming the Armenian Genocide," said
Armenian Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.
Also attending today's hearing were the Assembly Terjenian-Thomas 2011
Interns, including Evelina Beknazaryan and Aram Bagrazyan. "I
appreciate the U.S. government's assistance in promoting democracy and
human rights in Armenia," stated Beknazaryan. "Also creating a
positive economic environment for international investments as well as
U.S. efforts directed towards a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict are important," she added.
Aram Bagrazyan commented that "the hearing provided insight into the
workings of America's foreign policy. I learned more about the
American political perspective with respect to U.S.-Armenian
relations, as well as with other countries."
The next step in the confirmation process is to allow Senators to
submit questions in writing to the nominee. After the Senators have
an opportunity to review the nominees' responses, the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee will hold a business committee meeting to vote on
Heffren's candidacy.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a
501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
###
NR#: 2011-036
Editor's Notes:
Photo Caption 1: Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Photo Caption 2: 2011 Interns with Vartuhi Asaturian, Minister
Counselor at the Embassy of Armenia, outside of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee Room
To read Mr. Heffern's opening statement visit:
http://www.aaainc.org/fileadmin/aaainc/pdf_1/2011_Q3/Heffern_Testimony.pdf
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
July 13, 2011
Contact: Press Department
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434
SENATOR MENENDEZ DESCRIBES ADMINISTRATION POSITION ON ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE AS "UNTENABLE"
Armenian Assembly of America reserves judgment until it reads
nominee's responses to written questions
Washington, DC - Mr. John Heffern, the Administration's nominee to
serve as Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of
Armenia faced a series of questions on a range of issues during
today's Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing chaired by Senator
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), reported the Armenian Assembly of America
(Assembly).
Presiding over the hearing, Foreign Relations Subcommittee Chair on
European Affairs, Senator Shaheen began the round of questioning and
touched on the Protocols between Armenia and Turkey, the current
status of the Nagorno Karabakh talks and prospects for peace, as well
as the importance of democracy and free and fair elections, especially
in the context of the upcoming national elections in Armenia in 2012
and 2013. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) emphasized the importance of
democratization and queried Mr. Heffern about the steps he would take
to assist Armenia's development.
In response to Senator Shaheen's questions, Mr. Heffern indicated that
the United States strongly supported the Protocols signed between
Armenia and Turkey in October of 2009, and indicated that the
Administration remains "committed to doing whatever we can to
encourage the two parties to get the protocols back on track." Mr.
Heffern also stated that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "has made
it clear" that "the ball is in Turkey's court." With respect to the
Nagorno Karabakh peace process, Mr. Heffern noted that President
Barack Obama and Secretary Clinton have been "deeply involved" and
"remain committed" to the OSCE Minsk Group process to find "a lasting,
peaceful and just solution to this conflict."
On the democracy front, Mr. Heffern noted a series of positive steps
that the Armenian government has taken in the last six months and
indicated that if confirmed he would continue to build on this
progress and the work of former Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch.
The Armenian Assembly has consistently supported the presence of a
U.S. Ambassador in Armenia to build on the positive and growing
bilateral relationship. In Mr. Heffern's opening testimony, he
indicated that "the Obama Administration has strengthened U.S.
relations with Armenia" and noted that last April the Presidents "of
our two countries held their first bilateral meeting in 10 years and,
when Secretary Clinton visited Yerevan last year, it was the first
visit by a Secretary of State to Armenia in 19 years."
Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) welcomed Mr. Heffern's opening
statement which reiterated President Obama's position on the Armenian
Genocide: "President Obama has recognized and deplored the horrific
events that took place in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire. He
has publicly called the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians at this time
one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century. The President has
urged Turkey and Armenia to work through their painful history to
achieve a full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the facts. If
confirmed, I will do my best to fulfill the President's vision."
Senator Menendez outlined the facts and discussed several historical
documents pertaining to the Armenian Genocide, including various
cables from U.S. officials serving at the time of the Genocide as well
as Article II of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Menendez asked Mr. Heffern if he
disputed any of the facts presented, of which Mr. Heffern did not.
Senator Menendez also asked if Mr. Heffern believed that the facts
presented, including those in Mr. Heffern's opening statement fit the
definition of Article II of the Genocide Convention. Heffern responded
in the affirmative, but indicated that the characterization of the
events was a policy decision as reflected in the President's April
24th statement.
In closing, Senator Menendez expressed his continued frustration with
Administration policy by stating that this is "an inartful dance that
we do. We have a State Department whose history full of dispatches
cites the atrocities committed during this period of time. We have a
Convention from which we signed on to as a signatory that clearly
defines these acts as genocide. We have a historical knowledge of the
facts which we accept that would amount to genocide, but we are
unwilling to reference it as genocide. And if we cannot accept the
past we cannot move forward, and so I find it very difficult to be
sending diplomats of the United States to a country in which they will
go, and I hope you will go, as some of your predecessors have, to a
Genocide commemoration and yet never be able to use the word genocide.
It is much more than a question of a word. It is everything that
signifies our commitment to saying 'Never Again' and yet we cannot
even acknowledge this fact and we put diplomats in a position that I
think is totally untenable."
"The Armenian Assembly welcomes the continued efforts of Senator
Menendez to ensure that the facts of the Armenian Genocide are brought
to the forefront and not denied. We concur with the Senator that the
Administration's current policy is untenable." The Assembly strongly
believes that America's long-term interests would be better served by
speaking the truth and squarely affirming the Armenian Genocide," said
Armenian Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.
Also attending today's hearing were the Assembly Terjenian-Thomas 2011
Interns, including Evelina Beknazaryan and Aram Bagrazyan. "I
appreciate the U.S. government's assistance in promoting democracy and
human rights in Armenia," stated Beknazaryan. "Also creating a
positive economic environment for international investments as well as
U.S. efforts directed towards a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict are important," she added.
Aram Bagrazyan commented that "the hearing provided insight into the
workings of America's foreign policy. I learned more about the
American political perspective with respect to U.S.-Armenian
relations, as well as with other countries."
The next step in the confirmation process is to allow Senators to
submit questions in writing to the nominee. After the Senators have
an opportunity to review the nominees' responses, the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee will hold a business committee meeting to vote on
Heffren's candidacy.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a
501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
###
NR#: 2011-036
Editor's Notes:
Photo Caption 1: Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Photo Caption 2: 2011 Interns with Vartuhi Asaturian, Minister
Counselor at the Embassy of Armenia, outside of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee Room
To read Mr. Heffern's opening statement visit:
http://www.aaainc.org/fileadmin/aaainc/pdf_1/2011_Q3/Heffern_Testimony.pdf