Romanian Ambassador to Armenia Remains in Office

Romanian Ambassador Sorin Vasile.

Sorin Vasile, the Romanian Ambassador to Armenia who made disparaging statements about the Armenian Genocide will continue to hold his office.

On November 19, Ambassador Vasile made derogatory and inflammatory remarks regarding religious and sexual minorities during a lecture at the American University of Armenia while attempting to answer a question about the morality of recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

An uproar was caused following a piece by Guillaume de Chazourne that appeared on CivilNet on December 3, 2014 about the Ambassador’s comments and behavior. A few days after that article was published, Ambassador Vasile was summoned to Bucharest for questioning by Romania’s Foreign Ministry.

Last week, the Romanian Ambassador returned to Yerevan to carry on with his duties. CivilNet asked Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) whether or not they had filed an official protest over his statements. The MFA responded by saying: “Following Ambassador Vasile’s speech, we undertook corresponding action with the Romanian side.”

When asked what the MFA’s position was now that Vasile had returned and are they perhaps ready to proclaim him as persona non grata, the MFA responded: “Ambassador Vasile has officially apologized for his statements, and the Romanian Foreign Ministry has also issued a corresponding statement regarding the incident.”

Below is Ambassador Sorin Vasile’s apology from December, 2014:

“In connection with the article published on Civilnet on 4 December, about my conference to the American University, I want to convey my heartfelt regret that my remarks on the tragic events that caused infinite suffering to the Armenian people at the beginning of the past century have come to cause, beyond any remote intentionality, some offense to the Armenian people. It is with deep regret that I take how my comments to a question were interpreted. I am profoundly sorry for any unfortunate misunderstanding that may have any potential bearing on the solid traditional relations between the Romanian and Armenian peoples, built in centuries on mutual support and trust.

It may be the case that some of my remarks have been considered misplaced and if so the case I am deeply sorry for it.

I firmly underline that Armenia has a friend in me. I hold the genuine trust that my activities involving both the local authorities and the Armenian public at large, my statements and interviews testify to the highest consideration that I have for Armenia as a country with a great and rich history and for its future.”

Sorin Vasile