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PROMINENT REPUBLICAN BACKS BRYZA AS US ENVOY IN BAKU
news.az
Sept 8 2010
Azerbaijan
The president of the International Republican Institute has spoken
out in support of the USA's ambassador-designate to Azerbaijan,
Matthew Bryza. The Washington Times printed a letter from Lorne
W. Craner backing Bryza's candidacy.
He was responding to an OpEd in the same paper by Jean-Francois
Julliard and Clothilde Le Coz, questioning Bryza's commitment to
human rights.
"As a former assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights
and labor, I have great regard for the group Reporters Without
Borders. Unfortunately, the article co-written by its president,
Jean-Francois Julliard ("Emissary entanglements", Opinion, 12 August)
is not up to the organization's usually high standards," Craner wrote
in his letter.
"In particular, the characterization of Ambassador-designate to
Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza as someone unconcerned with human rights is
simply incorrect. In a decade of working with Mr Bryza, I have found
his work on behalf of the oppressed to be unremitting, skillful and
creative," Craner continued.
He did not share the concern of Julliard and Le Coz that Matthew
Bryza's involvement in a complaint and suit against Azerbaijani
opposition newspaper Azadlig had damaged his credibility within
Azerbaijani civil society.
"The attacks against reporters described in Mr Julliard's letter are
an all-too-frequent occurrence in authoritarian Azerbaijan. Blaming
them on an American diplomat recalls Jeanne Kirkpatrick's 'blame
America first' speech, and does not comport with Mr Bryza's efforts to
advance press and other freedoms throughout Eurasia. America's myriad
interests in Azerbaijan will continue if Mr Bryza is our ambassador
there, and he will ensure that freedom is at the top of our agenda,"
Lorne Craner said.
In 2007, Azadlig editor Ganimat Zahid and correspondent Agil Khalil
were sued over an article titled "Azerbaijanis Paid for Matthew
Bryza's Wedding". The following year Agil Khalilov was the target of
four murder attempts and has since left the country.
"The United States - and Azerbaijan's democrats - will be well-served
if one of our most talented diplomats is confirmed as ambassador to
Baku," Lorne Craner ended his letter.
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on 3 August postponed until
September a final vote on Matthew Bryza's candidacy as ambassador to
Azerbaijan, following concern from Senator Barabara Boxer.
Bryza's candidacy is opposed by Armenian lobby groups in the USA. They
say that as deputy assistant secretary of European and Eurasian
affairs and an OSCE mediator on the Karabakh conflict, Matthew Bryza
has shown bias towards Azerbaijan.
From: A. Papazian
news.az
Sept 8 2010
Azerbaijan
The president of the International Republican Institute has spoken
out in support of the USA's ambassador-designate to Azerbaijan,
Matthew Bryza. The Washington Times printed a letter from Lorne
W. Craner backing Bryza's candidacy.
He was responding to an OpEd in the same paper by Jean-Francois
Julliard and Clothilde Le Coz, questioning Bryza's commitment to
human rights.
"As a former assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights
and labor, I have great regard for the group Reporters Without
Borders. Unfortunately, the article co-written by its president,
Jean-Francois Julliard ("Emissary entanglements", Opinion, 12 August)
is not up to the organization's usually high standards," Craner wrote
in his letter.
"In particular, the characterization of Ambassador-designate to
Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza as someone unconcerned with human rights is
simply incorrect. In a decade of working with Mr Bryza, I have found
his work on behalf of the oppressed to be unremitting, skillful and
creative," Craner continued.
He did not share the concern of Julliard and Le Coz that Matthew
Bryza's involvement in a complaint and suit against Azerbaijani
opposition newspaper Azadlig had damaged his credibility within
Azerbaijani civil society.
"The attacks against reporters described in Mr Julliard's letter are
an all-too-frequent occurrence in authoritarian Azerbaijan. Blaming
them on an American diplomat recalls Jeanne Kirkpatrick's 'blame
America first' speech, and does not comport with Mr Bryza's efforts to
advance press and other freedoms throughout Eurasia. America's myriad
interests in Azerbaijan will continue if Mr Bryza is our ambassador
there, and he will ensure that freedom is at the top of our agenda,"
Lorne Craner said.
In 2007, Azadlig editor Ganimat Zahid and correspondent Agil Khalil
were sued over an article titled "Azerbaijanis Paid for Matthew
Bryza's Wedding". The following year Agil Khalilov was the target of
four murder attempts and has since left the country.
"The United States - and Azerbaijan's democrats - will be well-served
if one of our most talented diplomats is confirmed as ambassador to
Baku," Lorne Craner ended his letter.
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee on 3 August postponed until
September a final vote on Matthew Bryza's candidacy as ambassador to
Azerbaijan, following concern from Senator Barabara Boxer.
Bryza's candidacy is opposed by Armenian lobby groups in the USA. They
say that as deputy assistant secretary of European and Eurasian
affairs and an OSCE mediator on the Karabakh conflict, Matthew Bryza
has shown bias towards Azerbaijan.
From: A. Papazian