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DO YOU ADMIT THAT 1.5 MILLION ARMENIANS WERE KILLED IN 1915? HEFFERN PASSES THE ROUND OF QUESTIONING
Panorama
July 14 2011
Armenia
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 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.
2011 Interns with Vartuhi Asaturian, Minister Counselor at the Embassy
of Armenia, outside of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Room
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.
Panorama
July 14 2011
Armenia
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 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.
2011 Interns with Vartuhi Asaturian, Minister Counselor at the Embassy
of Armenia, outside of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Room
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.