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ANCA: State Dept. Again Evades Questions about Amb. Evans' Recall

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  • ANCA: State Dept. Again Evades Questions about Amb. Evans' Recall

    Armenian National Committee of America
    888 17th St., NW Suite 904
    Washington, DC 20006
    Tel: (202) 775-1918
    Fax: (202) 775-5648
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Internet: www.anca.org

    PRESS RELEASE

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    March 14, 2006
    Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
    Tel: (202) 775-1918

    STATE DEPARTMENT AGAIN REFUSES TO DIRECTLY
    COMMENT ON REPORTS OF AMB. EVANS' RECALL

    -- Spokesperson Continues to Evade Journalists' Questions;
    Issues Non-Responsive Answer to Repeated Inquiries

    WASHINGTON, DC - For the fourth time in the last week, the State
    Department's official spokesperson has failed to directly respond
    to questions raised by journalists during the Department's daily
    press briefing about reports that the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia,
    John Marshall Evans, has been recalled due to his truthful
    statements on the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National
    Committee of America (ANCA).

    "It's certainly disappointing seeing State Department officials
    hiding behind their spokesperson to avoid directly answering
    questions about whether Ambassador Evans is being recalled because
    he had the courage to stand up against what effectively amounts to
    a 'gag-rule' preventing our nation's diplomats from speaking
    truthfully about the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA Executive
    Director Aram Hamparian.

    ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, in a March 8th letter to Secretary
    Rice, wrote that, "If, in fact, the State Department has taken
    punitive steps against Ambassador Evans, you should fully and
    openly explain your policies and actions to the American people.
    If, on the other hand, the Department has not taken any such steps,
    you owe it to the American people to affirm that it is not the
    policy of the United States of America to punish its diplomats for
    speaking the truth about the Armenian Genocide."

    Questions concerning Ambassador Evans were raised on March 8th and
    March 10th and again on March 13th and 14th. Each time journalists
    asked for official comments about Ambassador Evans' reported
    recall. Reflecting the growing frustration among journalists over
    the lack of a clear response to their inquiries, a member of the
    State Department press corps publicly described the answers
    provided by the official spokesperson as "a bit of a dodge."

    The growing controversy surrounding reports of Amb. Evans' recall
    has resulted in separate letters being sent to Secretary of State
    Condoleezza Rice from ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian and Rep. Frank
    Pallone (D-NJ), the Co-Chairman of the Armenian Issues Caucus, as
    well as formal Congressional inquiries by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)
    and Grace Napolitano (D-CA).

    Speaking last year to an Armenian American gathering at the
    University of California at Berkeley, Amb. Evans said, "I will
    today call it the Armenian Genocide. . . I informed myself in depth
    about it. I think we, the U.S. government, owe you, our fellow
    citizens, a more frank and honest way of discussing this problem.
    Today, as someone who has studied it~E there's no doubt in my mind
    [as to] what happened . . . I think it is unbecoming of us, as
    Americans, to play word games here. I believe in calling things by
    their name." Referring to the Armenian Genocide as "the first
    genocide of the 20th century," he said: "I pledge to you, we are
    going to do a better job at addressing this issue." Amb. Evans also
    disclosed that he had consulted with a legal advisor at the State
    Department who had confirmed that the events of 1915 were "genocide
    by definition."

    Within days after his remarks and the conclusion of a speaking tour
    of Armenian American communities, Ambassador Evans was apparently
    forced to issue a statement clarifying that his references to the
    Armenian Genocide were his personal views and did not represent a
    change in U.S. policy. He subsequently issued a correction to this
    statement, replacing a reference to the Genocide with the word
    "tragedy."

    Later last year, the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA),
    in recognition of his honesty and commitment to principle, decided
    to honor Ambassador Evans with the "Christian A. Herter Award,"
    recognizing creative thinking and intellectual courage within the
    Foreign Service. AFSA states, "The purpose of the [award] is to
    encourage Foreign Service career employees to speak out frankly and
    honestly.'' Sadly, as Washington Post staff writer Glenn Kessler
    revealed on June 9th, AFSA withdrew its award following pressure
    from "very serious people from the State Department" just days
    before Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to
    Washington, D.C. to meet with President George W. Bush.

    The full text of the four exchanges are provided below:

    #####

    1) MARCH 8, 2006 ~V DAILY PRESS BRIEFING (WASHINGTON, DC)
    SEAN MCCORMACK, SPOKESMAN

    QUESTION: [. . .] Why did you recall your Ambassador to Armenia,
    Mr. John Evans? Are you going to replace him?

    MR. MCCORMACK: I'm not aware that we have recalled anybody -- our
    Ambassador to Armenia.

    QUESTION: Not in Germany, in Armenia.

    MR. MCCORMACK: What's that? I'm not aware that - I believe that
    he's still serving as Ambassador in Armenia.


    2) MARCH 10, 2006 ~V DAILY PRESS BRIEFING (WASHINGTON, DC)
    TOM CASEY, ACTING SPOKESMAN

    QUESTION: Is the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia having his time there
    cut short, maybe his career? A couple of Congressmen have asked
    Secretary Rice about it and apparently have not gotten an answer.
    He's supposed to have suggested that Armenians were the victims of
    genocide, which doesn't happen to be Bush Administration policy.

    MR. CASEY: I think Sean addressed this a couple of days ago.

    QUESTION: I think it's been brought up -- further up to date. If
    you could --

    MR. CASEY: I don't have anything beyond what he said on it. I'll
    look into it for you and see if there's any changes in --

    QUESTION: He said that ambassadors serve at the privilege of the
    President

    MR. CASEY: Yeah. And as far as I know, he's . . . still ambassador.
    I'm not aware that anything's changed that situation.

    QUESTION: You can't -- well, all right, if you don't have anything
    further. (Inaudible.)

    MR. CASEY: I think, Barry, I will -- yeah, I'll look into it for
    you. I haven't gotten an update on it, but I'll try and see if
    there's something and we'll post an answer for you.

    QUESTION: And also if somebody ghosted an answer from the Secretary
    to Mr. Schiff and the other Congressmen.

    MR. CASEY: Okay. I'll let you know. Let's go back here. Oh, to you
    guys first and then we'll come over to this side.


    3) MARCH 13, 2006 ~V DAILY PRESS BRIEFING (WASHINGTON, DC)
    TOM CASEY, ACTING SPOKESMAN

    QUESTION: Is the Ambassador of Armenia being -- having his career
    shortened because he spoke out against genocide in Armenia?

    MR. CASEY: Barry, I know we promised you an answer on that one on
    Friday. Still don't have it and I'll get something for you this
    afternoon.

    QUESTION: You mean his future hasn't been decided yet?

    MR. CASEY: Not that I'm aware of.

    QUESTION: I think it has.

    MR. CASEY: I believe you think it does.

    QUESTION: No, I do believe it does and so do -- and I have reason
    to believe it does and I know there are at least two members of
    Congress who believe it does. No, I just think the State Department
    is having difficulty finding words to announce his premature
    retirement.

    MR. CASEY: No. We owe you an answer on that.

    QUESTION: Thank you.

    MR. CASEY: I'll get it for you. Yes, Saul.

    [. . .]

    QUESTION: And one on Armenia. Representative Frank Pallone in a
    strong statement expressed his extreme disappointment with regards
    of the Department of State decision to rid finally Ambassador John
    Evans from Armenia as a retaliation for statements he made in
    recognition of the Armenian genocide in Los Angeles by Ottoman
    Turks. And it was reported that already you have decided to replace
    him. Could you please clarify for us what is going on exactly this
    particular moment of this issue?

    MR. CASEY: That was the question Barry asked. We owe you an answer
    and we'll get you one.

    QUESTION: Is the same answer.

    MR. CASEY: Yeah. It's the same issue; it will be the same answer.

    QUESTION: Is there an ambassador on post in Armenia right now?

    MR. CASEY: Yes, there is.

    QUESTION: Is his name Evans?

    MR. CASEY: Yes, it is.

    QUESTION: Does he have suitcase packed?

    MR. CASEY: Not that I'm aware of.

    QUESTION: But when you do announce this, would you kindly tell us
    the difference between what happened and genocide?

    MR. CASEY: I think --

    QUESTION: Because U.S. policy is there was no genocide.

    MR. CASEY: Our policy on this issue is well known. It was reported
    in a presidential statement and, yeah, I don't have anything to add
    to it.


    4) MARCH 14, 2006 ~V DAILY PRESS BRIEFING (WASHINGTON, DC)
    ADAM ERELI, SPOKESMAN

    QUESTION: Mr. Ereli, on the DOS [Department of State] Web site,
    regarding yesterday's taken question about U.S. Ambassador to
    Armenia John Evans' status, you have put quote, "genocide,"
    unquote, in quotes. I'm wondering why, if you can say so.

    MR. ERELI: I think because it was referring to remarks that
    somebody made.

    QUESTION: Do you know whether John Evans was recalled or whether
    he's been recalled due to his speech on Armenian genocide?

    MR. ERELI: I think the question was answered in the - that was
    answered in the question posted.

    QUESTION: Should DOS [Department of State] employees have been
    advised not to use the term, quote, "genocide," unquote, when
    discussing the extermination of the (inaudible)?

    MR. ERELI: No, I think our guidance on that is the same. And we
    posted that guidance last week.

    QUESTION: Is it not true that Mr. Evans' 35-year diplomatic career
    will be shortened because of the remarks he made, saying that ...
    ... genocide?

    MR. ERELI: I think the question was answered in the - that was
    answered in the question posted.

    QUESTION: Had DOS [Department of State] employees been advised not
    to use the term, quote, "genocide," unquote, when discussing the
    extermination of the 1 ~V1/2 million . . .

    MR. ERELI: No, I think our guidance on that is the same. And we
    posted that guidance last week.

    QUESTION: Is it not true that Mr. Evans' 35-year diplomatic career
    will be shortened because of the remarks he made, saying that
    Armenians were the victims of genocide, since the U.S. government
    or the State Department doesn't believe what happened was genocide?
    It doesn't fit the definition of genocide?

    MR. ERELI: I really don't have anything more to add to what we
    posted.

    QUESTION: Well, what you posted yesterday was a bit of a dodge.

    MR. ERELI: No. I think it's the situation as it is. (CROSSTALK)

    QUESTION: There is very strong reason to believe, in Congress and
    elsewhere, that this man is going to lose out; he's going to be
    brought home early because of what he said.

    MR. ERELI: Look, I'd like to be able to -- Ambassador Evans is our
    ambassador and he continues to exercise that honor and privilege.
    And he takes it seriously; we take it seriously. And I really don't
    have any more to add to that.
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