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Senate Committee to Consider Turkey Ambassador Nominee Tuesday
asbarez
Friday, July 16th, 2010
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey nominee Francis Ricciardone
WASHINGTON - The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has announced that
it will hold a confirmation hearing on Tuesday, July 20th for
President Obama's nominee, Francis Ricciardone, to serve as the next
U.S. Ambassador to Ankara, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America.
`Ambassador Ricciardone's confirmation process provides members of the
Foreign Relations Committee a rare and vital opportunity at a pivotal
moment in U.S.-Turkey relations to really explore whether the
Administration's seemingly endless willingness to defer to Turkey - on
human rights, regional security, and genocide denial - truly serves U.S.
interests and American values,' said Aram Hamparian, Executive
Director of the ANCA.
The short gap of only two weeks between the President's July 1st
announcement of the Ricciardone nomination and the scheduling of a
Senate confirmation hearing would seem to indicate an effort by the
White House to expedite this process. Ricciardone was a last minute
addition to the July 20th confirmation hearing announced earlier this
week, which is set to be chaired by Sen. John Kerry. The Foreign
Relations Committee has yet to announce a date for the confirmation
hearing for the President's nominee to serve as U.S. envoy in Baku,
Matt Bryza.
Several neo-conservative groups have voiced their reservations with
Ambassador Ricciardone's appointment. Foreign policy blog, The Cable,
has reported that Ricciardone's `tenure as George W. Bush's envoy to
Egypt provoked the most criticism, particularly among neoconservatives
who are hoping to persuade Republican senators to torpedo his
nomination.'
Ambassador Ricciardone, a career member of the Foreign Service, has
served as U.S. Ambassador to Egypt and the Phillippines, and has had
two tours of duty in Turkey, most recently, between 1995 and 1999, as
Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d'Affaires. He speaks Turkish and
several other languages. If approved, he would replace Ambassador
James Jeffries, whose confirmation hearing to serve as the next U.S.
Ambassador to Iraq will be held the same day.
From: A. Papazian
asbarez
Friday, July 16th, 2010
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey nominee Francis Ricciardone
WASHINGTON - The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has announced that
it will hold a confirmation hearing on Tuesday, July 20th for
President Obama's nominee, Francis Ricciardone, to serve as the next
U.S. Ambassador to Ankara, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America.
`Ambassador Ricciardone's confirmation process provides members of the
Foreign Relations Committee a rare and vital opportunity at a pivotal
moment in U.S.-Turkey relations to really explore whether the
Administration's seemingly endless willingness to defer to Turkey - on
human rights, regional security, and genocide denial - truly serves U.S.
interests and American values,' said Aram Hamparian, Executive
Director of the ANCA.
The short gap of only two weeks between the President's July 1st
announcement of the Ricciardone nomination and the scheduling of a
Senate confirmation hearing would seem to indicate an effort by the
White House to expedite this process. Ricciardone was a last minute
addition to the July 20th confirmation hearing announced earlier this
week, which is set to be chaired by Sen. John Kerry. The Foreign
Relations Committee has yet to announce a date for the confirmation
hearing for the President's nominee to serve as U.S. envoy in Baku,
Matt Bryza.
Several neo-conservative groups have voiced their reservations with
Ambassador Ricciardone's appointment. Foreign policy blog, The Cable,
has reported that Ricciardone's `tenure as George W. Bush's envoy to
Egypt provoked the most criticism, particularly among neoconservatives
who are hoping to persuade Republican senators to torpedo his
nomination.'
Ambassador Ricciardone, a career member of the Foreign Service, has
served as U.S. Ambassador to Egypt and the Phillippines, and has had
two tours of duty in Turkey, most recently, between 1995 and 1999, as
Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d'Affaires. He speaks Turkish and
several other languages. If approved, he would replace Ambassador
James Jeffries, whose confirmation hearing to serve as the next U.S.
Ambassador to Iraq will be held the same day.
From: A. Papazian