United States Ambassador to Armenia
Encyclopedia
Upon the breakup of the Soviet Union
, Armenia
declared its independence on August 23, 1991, having previously been the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic
, one of the constituent republics
of the USSR since 1936, and part of the Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic
since 1920.
The United States recognized
Armenia on December 26, 1991. The embassy at Yerevan
was opened February 3, 1992, with Steven Mann as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.
The U.S. ambassadorial post to Armenia became vacant on May 24, 2006, when the then-current ambassador, John Marshall Evans
was recalled by the Bush administration, purportedly over remarks by Evans concerning the Armenian genocide
. On May 23, 2006, and again on January 9, 2007, President Bush nominated Richard E. Hoagland
to be the new ambassador to Armenia, but the nomination was stalled in Senate
in a dispute between the Bush administration and Congress over the Armenian genocide issue. Rudolf V. Perina, the chargé d'affaires ad interim, served as the chief of the mission until August 1, 2008 when Marie L. Yovanovitch
began her term as the ambassador.
, was nominated by President Obama as the next ambassador on May 19, 2011. After the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
hearings on the nomination, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez placed a hold on the nomination due to disputes with the administration over the use of the word genocide
in relation to the Armenian Genocide
.
The United States Senate confirmed Heffern by unanimous consent on September 26, 2011. He has not yet presented his credentials.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
declared its independence on August 23, 1991, having previously been the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic
Armenian SSR
The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic The Armenian Soviet...
, one of the constituent republics
Republics of the Soviet Union
The Republics of the Soviet Union or the Union Republics of the Soviet Union were ethnically-based administrative units that were subordinated directly to the Government of the Soviet Union...
of the USSR since 1936, and part of the Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic
Transcaucasian SFSR
The Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic , also known as the Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, the Transcaucasian SFSR and the TSFSR for short, was a short-lived republic of the Soviet Union, lasting from 1922 to 1936...
since 1920.
The United States recognized
Diplomatic recognition
Diplomatic recognition in international law is a unilateral political act with domestic and international legal consequences, whereby a state acknowledges an act or status of another state or government in control of a state...
Armenia on December 26, 1991. The embassy at Yerevan
Embassy of the United States, Yerevan
The Embassy of the United States of America to Armenia is located adjacent to Lake Yerevan along the Yerevan-Etchmiadzin highway. The site occupies an area of 90,469 sq/m , one of the largest lots on which a new U.S. embassy has been built....
was opened February 3, 1992, with Steven Mann as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.
The U.S. ambassadorial post to Armenia became vacant on May 24, 2006, when the then-current ambassador, John Marshall Evans
John Marshall Evans
John Marshall Evans served as United States ambassador to the Republic of Armenia. He was confirmed to this position by the U.S. Senate on June 25, 2004. Evans began his service on August 8, 2004, but, as confirmed by President George W...
was recalled by the Bush administration, purportedly over remarks by Evans concerning the Armenian genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
. On May 23, 2006, and again on January 9, 2007, President Bush nominated Richard E. Hoagland
Richard E. Hoagland
Richard Eugene Hoagland is a career ambassador in the United States Department of State. As of 2009, he is the U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan. He previously served as the ambassador to Tajikistan 2003–06....
to be the new ambassador to Armenia, but the nomination was stalled in Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in a dispute between the Bush administration and Congress over the Armenian genocide issue. Rudolf V. Perina, the chargé d'affaires ad interim, served as the chief of the mission until August 1, 2008 when Marie L. Yovanovitch
Marie L. Yovanovitch
Marie L. Yovanovitch is the present Ambassador from the United States of America to Armenia. Her term of appointment started August 1, 2008. She is the first woman to hold this position. She was previously Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.Ms. Marie L...
began her term as the ambassador.
Ambassadors
- Harry J. Gilmore – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: May 12, 1993
- Presented credentials: May 31, 1993
- Terminated mission: Left post, July 11, 1995
- Peter TomsenPeter TomsenPeter Tomsen is a retired American diplomat and educator, serving as United States Special Envoy to Afghanistan from 1989 to 1992, and United States Ambassador to Armenia between 1995 and 1998...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 27, 1995
- Presented credentials: September 6, 1995
- Terminated mission: Left post September 6, 1998
- Michael Craig Lemmon – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 29, 1998
- Presented credentials: September 21, 1998
- Terminated mission: Left post October 1, 2001
- John Malcolm OrdwayJohn Ordway (ambassador)John Malcom Ordway is a retired foreign service officer who is currently the Chargé d'Affaires of the United States Embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan since January 13, 2011....
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 5, 2001
- Presented credentials: November 23, 2001
- Terminated mission: Left post July 31, 2004
- John Marshall EvansJohn Marshall EvansJohn Marshall Evans served as United States ambassador to the Republic of Armenia. He was confirmed to this position by the U.S. Senate on June 25, 2004. Evans began his service on August 8, 2004, but, as confirmed by President George W...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 30, 2004
- Presented credentials: September 4, 2004
- Terminated mission: Left post, September 10, 2006
- Post vacant September 10, 2006 – August 1, 2008
- Rudolf V. Perina, Chargé d'Affaires a.i.
- Marie L. YovanovitchMarie L. YovanovitchMarie L. Yovanovitch is the present Ambassador from the United States of America to Armenia. Her term of appointment started August 1, 2008. She is the first woman to hold this position. She was previously Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.Ms. Marie L...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 1, 2008
- Presented credentials: unknown
- Terminated mission: June 3, 2011
- Bruce Donahue – Career FSO
- Chargé d’Affaires June 3, 2011 - October 6, 2011
- John A. Heffern – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 6, 2011
- Presented credentials: unknown
Nomination
John A. Heffern, a career foreign service officerForeign Service Officer
A Foreign Service Officer is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. As diplomats, Foreign Service Officers formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. FSOs spend most of their careers overseas as members of U.S. embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic...
, was nominated by President Obama as the next ambassador on May 19, 2011. After the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It is charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. The Foreign Relations Committee is generally responsible for overseeing and funding foreign aid programs as...
hearings on the nomination, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez placed a hold on the nomination due to disputes with the administration over the use of the word genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
in relation to the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide—also known as the Armenian Holocaust, the Armenian Massacres and, by Armenians, as the Great Crime—refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I...
.
The United States Senate confirmed Heffern by unanimous consent on September 26, 2011. He has not yet presented his credentials.
See also
- Embassy of the United States, YerevanEmbassy of the United States, YerevanThe Embassy of the United States of America to Armenia is located adjacent to Lake Yerevan along the Yerevan-Etchmiadzin highway. The site occupies an area of 90,469 sq/m , one of the largest lots on which a new U.S. embassy has been built....
- Embassy of Armenia, Washington, D.C.
- Armenia – United States relations
- Foreign relations of ArmeniaForeign relations of ArmeniaSince its independence, Armenia has maintained a policy of complementarism by trying to have friendly relations both with Iran, Russia, and the West, including the United States and Europe. However, the dispute over the Armenian Genocide and the recent war over Nagorno-Karabakh have created tense...
- Ambassadors from the United StatesAmbassadors from the United StatesThis is a list of ambassadors of the United States to individual nations of the world, to international organizations, to past nations, and ambassadors-at-large.Ambassadors are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate...