KERRY MENENDEZ

[Arpa]

KERRY MENENDEZ

Two of our friends in the spotlight.

Good riddance that ho Hillary.

What do you think?

http://asbarez.com/107276/kerry-nomination-paves-way-for-menendez-to-chair-senate-committee/

　

- Asbarez Armenian News - http://asbarez.com -

Kerry Nomination Paves Way for Menendez to Chair Senate Committee

Posted By Contributor On December 21, 2012 @ 4:24 pm In Featured Story, Latest, National, News, Top Stories

Secretary of State nominee, Senator John Kerry with his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, and ANCA leaders and activists (from l to r): Raffi Hamparian, Michael Mahdesian, Ken Hachikian, Varant and Hoori Melkonian.

ANCA Welcomes Legislator with Legacy of Supporting Armenian American Issues to America’s Top Diplomatic Posting

WASHINGTON—President Obama on Friday nominated long-time Armenian American issues supporter, Senator John Kerry (D-MA), as his next Secretary of State, with Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) widely considered to take his place as the next Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

“We welcome President Obama’s nomination of Senator Kerry – a legislator with a three decade-long record of support for Armenia and a legacy of advocacy for the foreign policy priorities of Armenian Americans – as our nation’s next Secretary of State,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We look forward to continuing to work constructively with Senator Kerry, now in his new role at the Department of State, as we seek to lift Turkey’s gag-rule on American recognition of the Armenian Genocide, strengthen U.S.-Armenia ties, and put in place freedom-based solutions that provide security to the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh.”

Senator Kerry was first elected to the Senate in 1984. He succeeded now-Vice President Joe Biden as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2009. Over the years, Senator Kerry has been a strong advocate for Congressional affirmation of the Armenian Genocide, cosponsoring many resolutions to end U.S. complicity in Turkey’s denial of this still unpunished crime. As a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, he pressed ambassadorial nominee to Turkey, Francis Ricciardone about U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide, Turkey’s blockade of Armenia, and the pending Turkey-Armenia Protocols. He is not currently a cosponsor of the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

In the early 1990s, Senator Kerry was a vocal leader in support of Senate adoption of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, which restricted U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan until it lifted its blockades and stopped its aggression against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Earlier this year, Chairman Kerry was “shocked and appalled” at Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s pardon, praise and promotion of convicted Azerbaijani axe-murderer Ramil Safarov. “This needlessly provocative act endangers the fragile peace between these countries and damages the government of Azerbaijan’s credibility,” noted Senator Kerry.

The ANCA had endorsed Senator Kerry in his bid for the presidency in 2004 against Republican incumbent President George W. Bush.

Senator Kerry will likely be succeeded by Senator Robert Menendez as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Menendez has been an outspoken advocate for U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide since his years in the House of Representatives. He is the lead sponsor for the Senate Armenian Genocide Resolution (S.Res.399) introduced earlier this year. Senator Menendez was joined by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in blocking the nomination of Dick Hoagland, President George W. Bush’s nominee as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, after Hoagland denied the Armenian Genocide during his Senate confirmation process. Later, Senators Menendez and Boxer successfully opposed the nomination of U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza, expressing concerns about his serious shortcomings in his track record as a senior diplomat dealing with the Caucasus.

Among the other changes in the Senate Committee leadership include Senator Barbara Mikulski’s selection to serve as Chairwoman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, taking over the position from Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye, who passed away earlier this week.

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Edited December 22, 2012 by Arpa

[Yervant1]

Don't put too much hope on these career politicians, who says one thing and do the opposite. In US there is no difference between a Democrat and a Republican when it comes to foreign policy, it's all the same.

[Yervant1]

Let's see if he will dare to say the same thing when he's in office? Probably not!

Newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry offered to "throw

Azerbaijan under the bus"

 

http://lurer.com/?p=64220&l=en

2012-12-23 18:05:01

 

 

Nominated by U.S. President Barack Obama to the post of Secretary of

State - Sen. John Kerry is a "long-standing and trusted partner of the

Armenian lobby," informs edition ZMAN.

 

At the same time it is mentioned that Kerry has spoken in the Senate,

with the initiative of recognition of the 1915 Armenian Genocide in

Ottoman Turkey, has demanded that Ankara and Baku must end the

blockade of Armenia, has pointed to the need for the development of

trade and economic relations between the U.S. and Armenia larger

increase in the direct economic assistance provided by the United

States to Nagorno-Karabakh.

 

John Kerry recently condemned the extradition from Hungary to

Azerbaijan and the subsequent glorification of Azerbaijani officer

Ramil Safarov.

 

He mentioned: ""I am shocked and appalled by the fact that Azerbaijan

welcomed Ramil Safarov's behaviour."

 

Condemning Baku for the lack of democracy and disregard for human

rights, he publicly said that "Azerbaijan should be thrown under the

bus."

 

 

[Yervant1]

Will Armenia benefit from John Kerry's appointment as US Secretary of State?

 

tert.am

14:24 - 23.12.12

 

No matter whether a US political figure is pro-Armenian or

pro-Turkish, especially high-ranking one, and, John Kerry is a

well-known US political figure, he/she is being guided only by US

state interests and interests of its citizens.

 

David Shahnazaryan, political figure, told Tert.am, asked what Senator

Kerry's appointment as US Secretary of State will give Armenia.

 

US President Barack Obama has officially nominated Kerry, 69, in the

post on Friday. In 2004 Kerry was Democrat party's presidential

nominee but defeated to Republican George Bush junior.

 

Senator John Kerry is known for his pro-Armenian views. For more than

30 years he assisted the Armenian community of the USA in a number of

issues. The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has already

welcomed his nomination.

 

David Shahnazaryan claimed that US political figures undertake steps

stemming from the interests of their country and it is not an issue of

being a pro-Armenian figure or not. Asked to explain the concerns of

Azerbaijan expressed in the mass media in connection with Kerry's

nomination, Shanazaryan said it can be explained with one thing - they

are Azerbaijani mass media.

 

Azerbaijani contact.az, stressing that ANCA has welcomed the possible

nomination of Kerry, described him as `long-time supporter of the

Armenian Cause.' The Azerbaijani source stresses that the ANCA's

statement expresses its strive to cooperate with John Kerry in the

issues on recognition of the Armenian Genocide and ensuring Nagorno

Karabakh's security by the USA.

 

Giro Manoyan, director of the Armenian Revolutionary

Federation-Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) Bureau's political affairs office,

believes that human factor will have its role.

 

`Taking into consideration relations with John Kerry I think the

relations will be better and it may give an opportunity to change the

policy,' Manoyan said, speaking to Tert.am.

 

`It is wrong to say that as far as it is Kerry everything will be all

right, but it is also wrong to say that the personality does not

matter as the policy is one,' Manoyan said, opposing Shahnazaryan's

viewpoint and stressing that human factor may influence the policy of

the country.

 

Stepan Grigoryan, head of Globalization and Regional Cooperation

Analytical Center, said Kerry's appointment may mean formation of

clear position over our region. `One thing is an appointment of a

well-known person in the office who is neutral and another thing is

appointment of a person having clear position and being a

pro-Armenian. Of course, he will first of all be guided by the

interests of his state but his appointment will mean that his position

in the Armenian Genocide issue will become dominating in the US

foreign policy,' Grigoryan said, claiming that otherwise he would not

have been nominated.

 

The expert said with Kerry's appointment the talks over Armenian

Genocide recognition will intensify or the US position over the South

Caucasian and Nagorno Karabakh issues will change, becoming

pro-Armenian.