Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
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PRESS RELEASE
March 26, 2009
Contact: Michael A Zachariades
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434
ASSEMBLY PRAISES SENATOR MENENDEZ FOR TOUGH QUESTIONING OF NOMINEE
PHILIP GORDON
Assembly expects nominee to conform with Obama, Biden, Clinton policy
affirming Armenian Genocide
Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) commends
Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) for his tough questioning of Philip
Gordon, President Barack Obama’s nominee to replace Daniel Fried as
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs in the
U.S. Department of State, during today’s Senate Foreign Relations
Committee confirmation hearing.
Senator Menendez, an ardent supporter of Armenian-American issues, when
questioning Gordon expressed reservations about his record on the
Armenian Genocide by referencing a November 2007 article wherein Gordon
wrote: "As if tensions with Turkey were not already strained enough by
the Iraq war and the Kurdish issue, moves in the US House of
Representatives to recognise a Turkish ‘genocide’ against Armenians in
1915 have stoked the sense of crisis."
Menendez added that he has "concern when there is a veto by a foreign
government over domestic policies and policies of the United States
including the Congress of the United States. And [has] a real concern
that those who would be in a position of authority would actually seek
to fashion that… I’m concerned that at the end of the day there will
not be an appropriate balance here if you were to be confirmed by the
Senate. Can you speak to that for me?"
Gordon responded with an acknowledgement that Menendez had "raised a
number of issues that I know are very important to you, to this
committee and to the administration. You quoted comments of mine on
Armenia and the suggestion that these Congressional measures would
provoke a nationalistic backlash in Turkey which analytically I think is
accurate which is what I was writing. I have been at a think tank for a
number of years and that’s what we do, we analyze. And I was making the
analytical statement that such a resolution would provoke a
nationalistic backlash in Turkey.
"You suggested the need for balance and I absolutely agree, and I
absolutely agree that the United States and Congress and citizens,
including in Turkey, need to recognize that a terrible tragedy took
place, that more than a million and a half people were driven from their
homes and massacred. People need to recognize that and honor the victims
of that tragedy. And that sort of balance is necessary, as I say, not
only here but in Turkey. You mentioned the debate within Turkey and I
think that if you’ve looked at my writings you’ve seen that I’ve
personally long encouraged that. The United States government has
encouraged it and if confirmed I would also do so. I think there has
been some progress in that regard, including on this issue, but not
enough and if confirmed I would make it a priority of pushing for it."
Philip H. Gordon, a Senior Fellow for U.S. Foreign Policy at the
Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, has written extensively about
the importance of Turkey, as well as expressed doubts about the need to
reaffirm the Armenian Genocide.
"With President Obama, Vice President Biden and Secretary of State
Clinton’s clear and consistent record with respect to U.S. affirmation
of the Armenian Genocide, the Assembly expects that, if confirmed,
Philip Gordon will fully embrace this important human rights policy
position," stated Ardouny, adding that "It is long past time for State
Department officials to be fully aware of the historical reality of the
Armenian Genocide and be allowed to speak the truth freely."
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization.
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NR#2009-021