{"id":15393,"date":"2018-12-14T09:00:47","date_gmt":"2018-12-14T09:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=15393"},"modified":"2018-12-14T09:00:47","modified_gmt":"2018-12-14T09:00:47","slug":"senator-menendez-pledges-to-work-with-u-s-ambassador-to-armenia-on-securing-an-honest-acknowledgement-of-the-armenian-genocide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ancnews.info\/?p=15393","title":{"rendered":"Senator Menendez Pledges to Work with U.S. Ambassador to Armenia on Securing \u201cAn Honest Acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

— Commits to Continued Dialogue with U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan on Reducing Aliyev Threats<\/p>\n

WASHINGTON, DC<\/strong> \u2013 Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Democrat Robert Menendez (D-NJ) committed to continue working with U.S. Ambassador to Armenia-designate Lynne Tracy and U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan-designate Earle Litzenberger on a range of concerns raised during their confirmation hearings, including honest U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide and countering Azerbaijani threats to peace, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
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In statements during the Committee\u2019s December 13th business meeting, which approved both nominees and set the stage for full Senate votes, Sen. Menendez noted his support for both candidates, but also shared his clear expectations.<\/p>\n

\u201cThroughout my time in the Senate, I have advocated for an honest accounting of the Armenian genocide. I believe we have a moral imperative to recognize the atrocities that were committed against the Armenian people,\u201d stated Sen. Menendez. He went on to note, \u201cI support this nomination, but expect to work closely with Ms. Tracy on how she will encourage an honest acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide, support Armenia\u2019s ongoing efforts to ensure accountable, citizen-responsive governance, and support efforts to reach a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n

During Ms. Tracy\u2019s December 4th confirmation hearing, Sen. Menendez offered a rapid-fire series of questions regarding the Armenian Genocide, and commenting on by Ms. Tracy\u2019s reticence to properly reference crime, stated: \u201cThis is the problem with nominees who come before us, and it\u2019s not you particularly. In fact, we have a historical reality: 1.5 million people were massacred. That\u2019s Genocide. And yet, we send an Ambassador to a country and have them go to a memorial of a holocaust of the Armenian people and they won\u2019t be able to call it genocide. It\u2019s pretty ironic. If we are not able to acknowledge the past, we are destined to relive it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Video from the exchange is available at:
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