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Kerry Nomination Paves Way for Menendez to Chair Senate Committee

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  • Kerry Nomination Paves Way for Menendez to Chair Senate Committee

    Kerry Nomination Paves Way for Menendez to Chair Senate Committee

    http://asbarez.com/107276/kerry-nomination-paves-way-for-menendez-to-chair-senate-committee/
    Friday, December 21st, 2012


    Secretary of State nominee, Senator John Kerry with his wife, Teresa
    Heinz Kerry, and ANCA leaders and activists (from l to r): Raffi
    Hamparian, Michael Mahdesian, Ken Hachikian, Varant and Hoori
    Melkonian.

    ANCA Welcomes Legislator with Legacy of Supporting Armenian American
    Issues to America's Top Diplomatic Posting

    WASHINGTON - President Obama on Friday nominated long-time Armenian
    American issues supporter, Senator John Kerry (D-MA), as his next
    Secretary of State, with Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) widely
    considered to take his place as the next Chairman of the powerful
    Senate Foreign Relations Committee, reported the Armenian National
    Committee of America.

    `We welcome President Obama's nomination of Senator Kerry - a
    legislator with a three decade-long record of support for Armenia and
    a legacy of advocacy for the foreign policy priorities of Armenian
    Americans - as our nation's next Secretary of State,' said ANCA
    Executive Director Aram Hamparian. `We look forward to continuing to
    work constructively with Senator Kerry, now in his new role at the
    Department of State, as we seek to lift Turkey's gag-rule on American
    recognition of the Armenian Genocide, strengthen U.S.-Armenia ties,
    and put in place freedom-based solutions that provide security to the
    Republic of Nagorno Karabakh.'

    Senator Kerry was first elected to the Senate in 1984. He succeeded
    now-Vice President Joe Biden as Chairman of the Senate Foreign
    Relations Committee in 2009. Over the years, Senator Kerry has been a
    strong advocate for Congressional affirmation of the Armenian
    Genocide, cosponsoring many resolutions to end U.S. complicity in
    Turkey's denial of this still unpunished crime. As a member of the
    Foreign Relations Committee, he pressed ambassadorial nominee to
    Turkey, Francis Ricciardone about U.S. policy on the Armenian
    Genocide, Turkey's blockade of Armenia, and the pending Turkey-Armenia
    Protocols. He is not currently a cosponsor of the Armenian Genocide
    Resolution.

    In the early 1990s, Senator Kerry was a vocal leader in support of
    Senate adoption of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, which
    restricted U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan until it lifted its blockades
    and stopped its aggression against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
    Earlier this year, Chairman Kerry was `shocked and appalled' at
    Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev's pardon, praise and promotion of
    convicted Azerbaijani axe-murderer Ramil Safarov. `This needlessly
    provocative act endangers the fragile peace between these countries
    and damages the government of Azerbaijan's credibility,' noted Senator
    Kerry.

    The ANCA had endorsed Senator Kerry in his bid for the presidency in
    2004 against Republican incumbent President George W. Bush.

    Senator Kerry will likely be succeeded by Senator Robert Menendez as
    Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Menendez
    has been an outspoken advocate for U.S. affirmation of the Armenian
    Genocide since his years in the House of Representatives. He is the
    lead sponsor for the Senate Armenian Genocide Resolution (S.Res.399)
    introduced earlier this year. Senator Menendez was joined by Senator
    Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in blocking the nomination of Dick Hoagland,
    President George W. Bush's nominee as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia,
    after Hoagland denied the Armenian Genocide during his Senate
    confirmation process. Later, Senators Menendez and Boxer successfully
    opposed the nomination of U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza,
    expressing concerns about his serious shortcomings in his track record
    as a senior diplomat dealing with the Caucasus.

    Among the other changes in the Senate Committee leadership include
    Senator Barbara Mikulski's selection to serve as Chairwoman of the
    powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, taking over the position
    from Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye, who passed away earlier this week.




    From: A. Papazian
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