Absence of Ambassador in Armenia has negative impact on RA-U.S. relations

PanARMENIAN.Net - "Armenia's foreign policy should be decided in Yerevan but not in California," Jane's Intelligence Center expert Richard Giragosian told a news conference in Yerevan.



"Absence of Ambassador in Armenia has a negative impact on RA-U.S. relations. Neither the Diaspora nor Armenian NGOs appoint the U.S. Ambassador. It's the prerogative of the U.S. Senate. The sooner it happens the better," he said.



The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee has twice blocked Richard Hoagland's designation for U.S. Ambassador to Armenia. Senator Robert Menendez exercised his right of veto. "A person who denies the Armenian Genocide cannot defend the U.S. interests in Armenia," he said.



Hoagland told the Committee that he recognizes the events of 1915 but doesn't call them genocide.



Earlier, the RA government gave consent to Hoagland's nomination.