REP. COSTA CALLS ON NEW NOMINEE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
armradio.am
14.05.2008 10:57
Congressman Jim Costa (D-Fresno), a long time friend and supporter of
the Armenian American Community, sent a letter to Ambassador Marie L.
Yovanovitch, the new ambassadorial nominee of the United States to
the Republic of Armenia, requesting her to answer questions regarding
her views and opinions about the Armenian Genocide of 1915.
"It is important that the United States fill this empty diplomatic
position in Yerevan, Armenia," said Costa. "But before she is confirmed
by the United States Senate, it is critical for my constituents and
me to know her thoughts on the first genocide of the 20th century:
the Armenian Genocide," he added.
"In light of the events that took place with previous ambassadorial
nominee Richard Hoagland, the Armenian American community welcomes
Rep. Costa’s tough questions to Ambassador Yovanovitch on the subject
of the Armenian Genocide," said Andrew Kzirian, ANC-WR Executive
Director. "It is imperative that the next ambassador of the United
States to Armenia accepts the importance of genocide recognition,"
he added.
Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch currently serves as the United States
Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic. On March 28, 2008, President George
W. Bush announced plans to nominate Yovanovitch as U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia.
Yovanovitch will appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
for confirmation hearings, followed by a confirmation vote by the
panel and the Senate, before she is officially appointed.
The full text of the letter is included below"
"Congratulations on your recent nomination to be our Ambassador
to the Republic of Armenia. Your experience and current service as
Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic makes you an ideal candidate to
serve in Armenia.
As you are well aware, the United States has not had an Ambassador
in Yerevan since former Ambassador John M. Evans correctly stated
the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 was the
first acknowledged genocide of the 20th century. I believe it is in
the best interest of our nation to have this position filled, but it
is also important that my constituents know your views of the Armenian
Genocide, as this issue can strengthen or hurt our relationship with
the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian-American community.
It is, by any reasonable standard, established history that between
1915 and 1923 the Ottoman Empire systematically killed an estimated
1.5 million Armenians and drove hundreds of thousands of others into
exile from their ancestral homeland. The record of this atrocity is
well documented in the United States Archives and has been universally
accepted in the International Association of Genocide Scholars and
the broader historical and academic communities.
Two days after the Ottoman Empire launched the genocide, the New
York Times reported a story with the headline "Kurds Massacre More
Armenians", and followed up this story for the next year with reports
of the mass slaughter occurring in the Ottoman Empire. On October
4th, 1915, the Times ran a front page article about a report from the
Committee on Armenian Atrocities discussing exactly what was happening
to Armenians in Turkey. "The report tells of children under 15 years
of age thrown into the Euphrates to be drowned; of women forced to
desert infants in arms and to leave them by the roadside to die; of
young women and girls appropriated by the Turks, thrown into harems,
attacked, or else sold to the highest bidder, and of men murdered
and tortured."
My district is home to many of Armenian-Americans, and many want to
know your views on the Armenian Genocide. I would like you to respond
to the questions below so I can get an insight on your opinion of
the Armenian Genocide and how you plan to resolve this ongoing issue
between Turkey and Armenia.
1. Under the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the
Crime of Genocide, which the U.S. is a party, it was decided that
genocide occurs when three criteria are met. In your view, does the
killing and exile of 1.5 million Armenians meet these criteria? If
it does not, please explain why it does not.
2. On March 15, 2007, Assistant Secretary of State for European and
Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried testified before the House Foreign
Affairs Committee and stated that the question of the Armenian
Genocide "should be resolved not by politicians, but through heartfelt
introspection by historians, philosophers, and common people." However,
in 1998, a group of 150 scholars of history, theology and law
encouraged their governments to officially recognize the Armenian
Genocide as such. Is this the type of "heartfelt introspection" from
"historians, philosophers, and common people" that Secretary Fried
spoke of? If so, why has the United States not recognized the Armenian
Genocide? If it does not, please explain why.
3. Have you done any personal research on the Armenian Genocide? If so,
what is your personal opinion about the events that occurred between
1915 and 1923?
4. What is your plan to strengthen ties with the Armenian-American
community?
5. Is there a plan to bring Turkey to the table and discuss with them
the facts of the Armenian Genocide?
A United States ambassador to a foreign nation has to clearly know
and understand the pulse, feeling and thoughts of those nations’
citizens to effectively design a diplomatic program while they are
working there. For example, an ambassador to Cambodia would need to
acknowledge their genocide because it has shaped the psychology of
that nation today. It has shaped the way the citizens of Cambodia look
at world events, political threats, cooperation with other nations,
and trade policies. The same is true for Israel or Rwanda. Denying a
traumatic event such as genocide, one cannot create, nor implement,
honest and effective diplomacy, nor gain the trust of that nation in
conducting bilateral relations."