John Marshall Evans
Encyclopedia
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. Bush
on May 24, 2006, was terminated for undisclosed reasons.
Born in Virginia, Evans studied Russian history at Yale University
, earning an undergraduate degree. He pursued doctoral studies at Columbia University
but does not hold a Ph.D. He served for the US foreign service in various capacities in Iran
, Czechoslovakia
, the former Soviet Union
, and with NATO. He studied languages and became fluent in Russian and several other foreign languages.
. It has been suggested that pressure from Turkey
, an important U.S. ally in the Middle East
, pressured the Department of State
to remove Evans for his personal beliefs and statements.
Since Evans's dismissal, the Armenian National Committee of America
has put pressure on the U.S. Senate to postpone the appointment of Richard E. Hoagland
, the new nominee for the ambassadorship to Armenia, until the Bush administration clarifies the reason for Evans' dismissal and on the suspicion that Hoagland does not sympathize with Armenian causes. Hoagland was nominated by President Bush during the 109th Congress, during which his nomination did not come up for a vote. The Bush Administration re-nominated Hoagland when the 110th session of the United States Congress convened, but the nomination, ultimately, was not confirmed. A new nominee, Marie Yovanovitch, came up for the post in 2008 and served till 2011. Currently John A. Heffern serves in the position as ambassador to Armenia
.
Ambassadors from the United States
This 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...
to the Republic of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. 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. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
on May 24, 2006, was terminated for undisclosed reasons.
Born in Virginia, Evans studied Russian history at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, earning an undergraduate degree. He pursued doctoral studies at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
but does not hold a Ph.D. He served for the US foreign service in various capacities in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, the former Soviet Union
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....
, and with NATO. He studied languages and became fluent in Russian and several other foreign languages.
Dismissal from Armenian ambassadorship
Armenian sources have suggested that the sudden dismissal of Evans was due to his strong support for the cause of the recognition of the Armenian GenocideArmenian 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...
. It has been suggested that pressure from Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, an important U.S. ally in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, pressured the Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
to remove Evans for his personal beliefs and statements.
Since Evans's dismissal, the Armenian National Committee of America
Armenian National Committee of America
The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively...
has put pressure on the U.S. Senate to postpone the appointment of 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....
, the new nominee for the ambassadorship to Armenia, until the Bush administration clarifies the reason for Evans' dismissal and on the suspicion that Hoagland does not sympathize with Armenian causes. Hoagland was nominated by President Bush during the 109th Congress, during which his nomination did not come up for a vote. The Bush Administration re-nominated Hoagland when the 110th session of the United States Congress convened, but the nomination, ultimately, was not confirmed. A new nominee, Marie Yovanovitch, came up for the post in 2008 and served till 2011. Currently John A. Heffern serves in the position as ambassador to Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
.