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U.S. NAMES NEW KARABAKH ENVOY
Emil Danielyan
Armenialiberty.org
Sept 8 2009
The United States named its new top negotiator in the Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process late Monday, pledging to do "everything possible"
to broker a near-term solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute.
The State Department said career diplomat Robert Bradtke will
replace Matthew Bryza as the U.S. co-chair of the OSCE's Minsk Group
on Karabakh. "Ambassador Bradtke brings to this position more than
thirty-six years of Foreign Service experience and extensive expertise
in European security policy," department spokesman Ian Kelly said in
a statement.
Bradtke was Washington's ambassador in Croatia until this July and
had served as a deputy assistant secretary of state responsible for
NATO and the OSCE from 2001-2004. His long professional career also
includes a two-year stint as executive secretary of the U.S. National
Security Council during the final years of Bill Clinton's presidency.
Bryza has represented the U.S. in the Minsk Group and been closely
involved in Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks since June 2006, combining
that role with the duties of deputy assistant secretary of state for
European and Eurasian Affairs, of which he was also relieved last
month. His replacement in that position, Tina Kaidanow, is also a
career diplomat with extensive experience in the Balkans. Kaidanow
served until recently as the first U.S. ambassador to Kosovo.
Bryza has been tipped to move to another post ever since the
administration of President Barack Obama took office in January. Recent
media reports have said that he could be appointed as U.S. ambassador
to Azerbaijan. Neither Bryza, nor the State Department have denied
those reports.
Bryza was reported to heap praise on his Minsk Group successor on
Tuesday. "Bradtke is an excellent diplomat and good friend of mine,"
the Azerbaijani Trend news agency quoted the former Bush administration
official as saying.
"We have informed the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan of
Ambassador Bradtke's appointment," read the statement issued by
Kelly. "Ambassador Bradtke looks forward to his first trip to the
region in the coming weeks."
The Minsk Group's American, French and Russian co-chairs are due
to visit Baku and Yerevan later this month to prepare for another
meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents that could take
place in early October. They hope that the two leaders will overcome
their remaining disagreements over a framework peace accord drawn up
by the mediating powers.
"We welcome recent positive dialogues between President Sarkisian
of Armenia and President Aliyev of Azerbaijan," the State Department
spokesman said. "Secretary Clinton has indicated to the two presidents
her strong interest in the Minsk Group's ongoing efforts to bring
the process to a fruitful conclusion, and the Obama Administration
is committed to doing everything possible to support this goal."
Emil Danielyan
Armenialiberty.org
Sept 8 2009
The United States named its new top negotiator in the Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process late Monday, pledging to do "everything possible"
to broker a near-term solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute.
The State Department said career diplomat Robert Bradtke will
replace Matthew Bryza as the U.S. co-chair of the OSCE's Minsk Group
on Karabakh. "Ambassador Bradtke brings to this position more than
thirty-six years of Foreign Service experience and extensive expertise
in European security policy," department spokesman Ian Kelly said in
a statement.
Bradtke was Washington's ambassador in Croatia until this July and
had served as a deputy assistant secretary of state responsible for
NATO and the OSCE from 2001-2004. His long professional career also
includes a two-year stint as executive secretary of the U.S. National
Security Council during the final years of Bill Clinton's presidency.
Bryza has represented the U.S. in the Minsk Group and been closely
involved in Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks since June 2006, combining
that role with the duties of deputy assistant secretary of state for
European and Eurasian Affairs, of which he was also relieved last
month. His replacement in that position, Tina Kaidanow, is also a
career diplomat with extensive experience in the Balkans. Kaidanow
served until recently as the first U.S. ambassador to Kosovo.
Bryza has been tipped to move to another post ever since the
administration of President Barack Obama took office in January. Recent
media reports have said that he could be appointed as U.S. ambassador
to Azerbaijan. Neither Bryza, nor the State Department have denied
those reports.
Bryza was reported to heap praise on his Minsk Group successor on
Tuesday. "Bradtke is an excellent diplomat and good friend of mine,"
the Azerbaijani Trend news agency quoted the former Bush administration
official as saying.
"We have informed the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan of
Ambassador Bradtke's appointment," read the statement issued by
Kelly. "Ambassador Bradtke looks forward to his first trip to the
region in the coming weeks."
The Minsk Group's American, French and Russian co-chairs are due
to visit Baku and Yerevan later this month to prepare for another
meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents that could take
place in early October. They hope that the two leaders will overcome
their remaining disagreements over a framework peace accord drawn up
by the mediating powers.
"We welcome recent positive dialogues between President Sarkisian
of Armenia and President Aliyev of Azerbaijan," the State Department
spokesman said. "Secretary Clinton has indicated to the two presidents
her strong interest in the Minsk Group's ongoing efforts to bring
the process to a fruitful conclusion, and the Obama Administration
is committed to doing everything possible to support this goal."