"We are gratified to see that the Administration has finally come to recognize what the ANCA and the Armenian American community have understood for more than a year - that Dick Hoagland - through his own words and action - disqualified himself as an effective representative of either American values or US interests as US Ambassador to Armenia," stated ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We would like to thank Senator Menendez for his principled leadership in impressing upon the Administration that a genocide denier should never and must never represent the US in Armenia."

"This is certainly welcome news," stated Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ). "It was clear that their nominee to fill his place was controversial. I hope that our next nominee will bring a different understanding to this issue and foster a productive relationship with our friends in Armenia."

House Armenian Genocide resolution lead sponsor Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) concurred, stating "The President was right to withdraw Mr. Hoagland's nomination. During his confirmation hearings, Mr. Hoagland continued to deny that the massacre of a million and a half Armenians between 1915 and 1923 was genocide, thereby compounding the injury done to the Armenian people and, especially, the few remaining survivors of the first genocide of the Twentieth Century. I hope that the President will soon nominate a new ambassador who will be more forthcoming in discussing the Armenian Genocide"
backward." -ArmRadio.am