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  • Menendez Reiterates Importance Of U.S. Affirmation Of The Armenian G

    MENENDEZ REITERATES IMPORTANCE OF U.S. AFFIRMATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

    Panorama
    Aug 3, 2011
    Armenia

    During today's confirmation hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations
    Committee, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) asked Ambassador-Designate
    Francis J. Ricciardone a series of questions regarding U.S.

    affirmation of the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian Assembly
    of America (Assembly).

    Ambassador-Designate Francis J. Ricciardone, is the Administration's
    nominee to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey
    and has been serving in Ankara since January on the basis of a recess
    appointment by President Obama. When asked by Senator Menendez if the
    United States have ever denied the Armenian Genocide, Ricciardone
    responded that he stands behind President Obama's characterization
    and used the Armenian term: Meds Yeghern.

    "As Senator Menendez has repeatedly indicated, affirmation of the
    Armenian Genocide is critical to our diplomatic relations with Armenia
    and Turkey," stated Assembly Grassroots Director Taniel Koushakjian.

    "We strongly concur with Senator Menendez that if you cannot recognize
    the historical fact of the Armenian Genocide, then you cannot move
    forward," added Koushakjian.

    Senator Menendez also asked if Ricciardone disagreed with President
    Barack Obama's position on the Armenian Genocide during Obama's
    tenure as a Senator, as well as that of Vice President Joseph Biden
    and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, during their tenures
    as Senators. In each instance, Ricciardone indicated that he did not
    disagree with his superiors.

    "On behalf of the Armenian Assembly's 2011 Terjenian-Thomas Internship
    Class, we express our sincere appreciation to Senator Menendez for
    his continued leadership on Armenian issues," stated Raffi Nersessian,
    Assembly Government Affairs intern who attended today's hearing.

    Ricciardone also fielded questions about religious freedom, especially
    in relation to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the
    Halki Seminary, as well as with respect to the Armenian, Assyrian,
    and Jewish communities.

    Senate Foreign Relations Europe Subcommittee Chair Jeanne Shaheen
    (D-NH) presided over today's hearing and was joined by Ranking Member
    Richard Lugar (R-IN), along with Senators Robert Casey, Jr. (D-PA),
    Chris Coons (D-DE), and Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) who was on hand
    to introduce one of the nominees. Additional questions for the record
    will be submitted for response by the nominees and will be reviewed
    before the Committee acts on the nomination. The next opportunity
    for consideration by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will be
    in September.


    From: Baghdasarian
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