Civilnet
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held confirmation hearings on September 18 for U.S. Ambassador-designates Robert Cekuta of New York to Azerbaijan and Richard Mills of Texas to Armenia.
Some of the key issues discussed during the hearing included talks about strengthening Azerbaijan’s rule of law, the peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict, the United States’ disappointment in Armenia for voting against Ukraine’s territorial integrity at the U.N. General Assembly, and the centennial of the Armenian Genocide.
According to the Armenian National Committee of Armenia (ANCA), Ambassador-designate Mills, in his testimony, was unable to successfully characterize the mass murders of 1915 as a genocide. He did, however, assert that the "the United States and the world will stand in solidarity with the Armenian people next year to mark the centenary of one of the 20th century’s worst atrocities.”
"Today's testimony represented a missed opportunity - on the eve of the 2015 centennial - for the Obama Administration to finally reject Ankara's shameful gag-rule prohibiting American officials from speaking honestly about the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. The last ambassador to stand in support of U.S recognition of the Armenian Genocide was Ambassador John Evans in 2006.
Hamparian went on to say, "The Administration also failed, very conspicuously, to use Ambassador-designate Cekuta's high-profile confirmation hearing as an opportunity to challenge Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's alarming arms build-up, escalating threats of war, and outright acts of aggression against Armenia and Artsakh, a reckless silence that will only encourage Baku's belligerence."
Ambassador-designate Mills implored Turkey to "engage with Armenia to achieve a full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the facts so that both nations can begin to forge a relationship that is peaceful, productive, and prosperous." He also expressed support for the Turkey-Armenia Protocols arguing that the process was stalled due to Turkey’s refusal to ratify the document.
Mills condemned Armenia’s plans to join the Eurasion Customs Union, instead he argued for more U.S.- Armenia investments noting that the U.S. is "considering whether to begin negotiations with Yerevan on a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement."
Senators Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin focused their questions to the Ambassador-designates on efforts to push forward the Karabakh peace negotiations with the OSCE Minsk Group. Both Ambassador-designates supported OSCE efforts and expressed intent to work closely with U.S. Co-Chair James Warlick to bring the sides closer to a settlement. Warlick was recently in Armenia meeting with President Sargsyan and Foreign Minister Nalbandyan to discuss the role of OSCE Minsk Group in the prospect of peace in Karabakh.
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