Congressmen Called on U.S. Secretary of State to Reconsider Amb. Evans Recall

PanARMENIAN.Net - Four leading Congressional friends of Armenia, George Radanovich (R-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Congressional Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), have strongly encouraged Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to reconsider the recall of Ambassador John Evans, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). In a June 22nd letter, the legislators noted that "after months of speculation," the recall of Ambassador Evans "was confirmed when the President nominated Richard Hoagland to serve as the new United States Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia on May 23. While there has been no official acknowledgement that Ambassador Evans removal was a result of his February 2005 statement that the Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the 20th Century, all evidence points to that conclusion." The Congressional letter closed with the four legislators expressing their belief that "the United States must formally recognize the Armenian Genocide, and we will continue to work towards that goal. Allowing John Evans to continue as Ambassador to Armenia sends a strong message on the necessity of Turkish recognition, and will be an important step in establishing the U.S. position on the Armenian Genocide."