WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, opened his hearing on the confirmation of Samantha Power to serve as U.N. Ambassador by telling her that he is “incredibly appreciative of the principled position you’ve taken on the Armenian Genocide,” reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

At the start of the highly anticipated and widely broadcast hearing, Chairman Menendez noted that, “You have been an unrelenting, principled voice when it comes to human rights and crimes against humanity – and I know that voice will be heard around the world — should you be confirmed,” adding: “Personally, I am incredibly appreciative of the principled position you’ve taken on the Armenian Genocide. In 2007, you wrote in Time Magazine – ‘a stable, fruitful, 21st century relationship’ [with Turkey] cannot be built on a lie,’ and I completely agree.”

The New Jersey Democrat also stressed that, “Your belief that we should use the lessons of what clearly was an atrocity of historic proportions to prevent future crimes against humanity is a view consistent with my own and which is supported by your role on the President’s Atrocities Prevention Board. I agree that we must acknowledge and study the past, understand how and why atrocities happen, to put-into-practice and giving meaning to the phrase, “never again.”

Click here for the full text and video of the opening remarks by Chairman Menendez are available on-line.

Click here to watch the full hearing on the website of the Foreign Relations Committee.

The ANCA-Eastern Region honored Samantha Power at its 2008 banquet in New York City, for her extensive academic, research, and advocacy work challenging the denial of the Armenian Genocide.

During the 2008 Presidential campaign, Samantha Power released a video urging Armenian Americans to support the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama.

Photo Caption: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Ranking Republican Robert Corker (R-TN) with U.S. Ambassador to the UN nominee Samantha Power.