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ANKARA: Ricciardone's Fate To Gain Clarity Next Month

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  • ANKARA: Ricciardone's Fate To Gain Clarity Next Month

    RICCIARDONE'S FATE TO GAIN CLARITY NEXT MONTH
    Umit Enginsoy

    Hurriyet Daily News
    Aug 3, 2011
    Turkey

    The United States' ambassador to Ankara, Frank Ricciardone, late
    Wednesday appeared before the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee
    for his second confirmation hearing, but the committee will not decide
    on his fate until September.

    President Barack Obama last year nominated Ricciardone for
    the Ankara job, but right-wing Republican Senator Sam Brownback
    effectively blocked him. All senior administration officials, including
    ambassadors, need to be confirmed by the Senate with only one senator's
    objection being sufficient to prevent confirmation.

    In Wednesday's hearing pro-Armenian Democratic Senator Robert Menendez
    pushed Ricciardone on Armenian-related matters. When Menendez asked
    him if the U.S. had ever denied the "Armenian genocide," Ricciardone
    replied: "I stand behind President Obama's characterization of the
    'Medz Yeghern' [great calamity], as the Armenians themselves call it,
    the tragic murder of a million and a half men, women and children
    who were marched to their deaths in 1915. But I stand behind our
    characterization of that and our efforts of what we are trying to
    do now."

    If Ricciardone passes the committee hurdle, then his nomination will
    go to a vote in the full Senate. Under U.S. law, if Ricciardone also
    this time fails to win the Senate's confirmation before the end of
    this year, his post as ambassador to Ankara will end

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