Pennington: Armenia is lucky that Marie Yovanovitch was nominated to serve as the U.S. Ambassador
"We are very pleased that we have a great nominee. We look forward to her coming and she will do a fantastic job," Mr. Pennington said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.
"Of course in our system, as you are aware, there is this Senate approval as required of the nomination and the process will start Thursday on the hearing. We are hopeful that the process will go without significant problem and that Senate will approve Ambassador Yovanovitch and that will happen quickly. We think Armenia deserves to have a fully represented U.S. mission here that includes an ambassador but of course the Senate has its own business to do and I can't predict the outcome, but we are hopeful that it will be positive and that we will have an ambassador soon. No one will be happier that I will be to see her to come," he said.
"If the story with Ambassador Hoagland is repeated again, I think it would be negative for both the United States and the U.S.-Armenian relationship but that is not in our hands, that's in the Senate's hands and we'll see how it comes out," Mr. Pennington added.
On March 28, 2008, Pres. Bush nominated Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch to serve as
America's next Ambassador to Armenia. Previous nominee as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, Richard Hoagland, was subject to two legislative holds by Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and was ultimately withdrawn by the Administration, following the nominee's statements denying the Armenian Genocide.
Senators Menendez, Boxer and Obama submitted to Ms. Yovanovitch 8 questions for a written response. The confirmation consideration is expected after July 4.
Full text of the interview
"Of course in our system, as you are aware, there is this Senate approval as required of the nomination and the process will start Thursday on the hearing. We are hopeful that the process will go without significant problem and that Senate will approve Ambassador Yovanovitch and that will happen quickly. We think Armenia deserves to have a fully represented U.S. mission here that includes an ambassador but of course the Senate has its own business to do and I can't predict the outcome, but we are hopeful that it will be positive and that we will have an ambassador soon. No one will be happier that I will be to see her to come," he said.
"If the story with Ambassador Hoagland is repeated again, I think it would be negative for both the United States and the U.S.-Armenian relationship but that is not in our hands, that's in the Senate's hands and we'll see how it comes out," Mr. Pennington added.
On March 28, 2008, Pres. Bush nominated Amb. Marie L. Yovanovitch to serve as
America's next Ambassador to Armenia. Previous nominee as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, Richard Hoagland, was subject to two legislative holds by Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and was ultimately withdrawn by the Administration, following the nominee's statements denying the Armenian Genocide.
Senators Menendez, Boxer and Obama submitted to Ms. Yovanovitch 8 questions for a written response. The confirmation consideration is expected after July 4.
