Tweet
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Sept 19 2010
US panel to vote on Azerbaijan envoy
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Ã`MÄ°T ENGÄ°NSOY
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
Bryza first appeared at his confirmation hearing at the Foreign
Relations Committee on July 22, but shortly later a pro-Armenian
senator delayed his confirmation vote. AP photo
The U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations Committee is set to vote Tuesday
on President Barack Obama's ambassadorial pick for the Azerbaijani
capital of Baku amid Armenian-Americans' ongoing opposition to the
diplomat's nomination.
The Armenian National Committee of America, or ANCA, the largest and
most influential Armenian-American group, accuses Matt Bryza of
denying what it calls the "Armenian genocide" and of having a
pro-Turkish and pro-Azerbaijani position.
The ANCA, in a weekend statement, urged Armenian-Americans "to call
your senators and urge them to reject Bryza's nomination and to write
your senators and urge them to block the nomination."
"Mr. Bryza, with every new dodge, digs himself a deeper and deeper
hole, demonstrating why he is so clearly the wrong choice to be U.S.
ambassador to Azerbaijan," said Aram Hamparian, executive director of
the ANCA. "Our nation's interests in Baku and throughout the Caucasus
would be best served by a fresh start, with a nominee that doesn't
bring such baggage and bias to this important diplomatic posting."
Bryza, who has been U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for
European and Eurasian affairs since 2005, was nominated in May to
become the new U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan, a position vacant since
last year.
Under U.S. laws all senior administration officials, including
ambassadors, need to be confirmed by the Senate. Ambassadorial
nominations first need the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's
approval, and then they should be endorsed in a full Senate vote.
Bryza appeared at his confirmation hearing at the Foreign Relations
Committee on July 22, but shortly later pro-Armenian Sen. Barbara
Boxer, a Democrat from California, delayed his confirmation vote by
the committee until September. The committee members now will decide
Tuesday whether they endorse him or not.
But even if Bryza wins the committee's approval, still any senator may
indefinitely block his nomination by placing a hold on his
confirmation.
Ankara envoy also awaits confirmation
Separately and for different reasons, Obama's ambassadorial pick for
Ankara, Frank Ricciardone, also is still waiting for the completion of
his confirmation process in the Senate.
Obama on July 1 nominated Ricciardone, a former U.S. ambassador to
Egypt and the Philippines. Ricciardone, qualified by some foreign
policy experts as an "Arabist," is planned to replace Jim Jeffrey in
Ankara. Jeffrey has become the new U.S. ambassador to Baghdad.
Ricciardone won the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's backing on
July 22. But on the last day before the Senate went to a summer recess
in August, influential Republican Sen. Sam Brownback from Kansas
formally put a hold on his nomination, saying: "I am not convinced
Ambassador Ricciardone is the right ambassador for Turkey at this time
- despite his extensive diplomatic experience."
In an Aug. 16 letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Brownback
was particularly critical of Ricciardone's service in Egypt. "My
concerns about Ricciardone's work ... lead me to concerns about his
approach to a number of issues in our relationship with Turkey," the
senator said.
"Over the last few years, secular opposition parties (in Turkey) have
complained that they received less access to the U.S. ambassador than
the ruling party, and based on his record to date, I am concerned that
this situation would not change under Ambassador Ricciardone,"
Brownback said.
"I believe we must be concerned that the Turkish government is moving
away from its secularist roots. Next year's pivotal elections provide
an opportunity for the secularists to demonstrate their strength, and
we cannot let our desire for a strong bilateral relationship translate
into de facto support of the ruling party, especially if we have
reason to believe that opposition parties are in danger of being
marginalized," he said.
Brownback then asked Clinton to provide him with information that
would remove his concerns. Clinton in late August provided him with
written answers.
Brownback, who will leave the Senate this fall as part of his quest to
become the Kansas governor, is expected this month to decide whether
or not to lift his hold on Ricciardone.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=us-panel-to-vote-on-azerbaijan-envoy-2010-09-19
From: A. Papazian
Sept 19 2010
US panel to vote on Azerbaijan envoy
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Ã`MÄ°T ENGÄ°NSOY
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
Bryza first appeared at his confirmation hearing at the Foreign
Relations Committee on July 22, but shortly later a pro-Armenian
senator delayed his confirmation vote. AP photo
The U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations Committee is set to vote Tuesday
on President Barack Obama's ambassadorial pick for the Azerbaijani
capital of Baku amid Armenian-Americans' ongoing opposition to the
diplomat's nomination.
The Armenian National Committee of America, or ANCA, the largest and
most influential Armenian-American group, accuses Matt Bryza of
denying what it calls the "Armenian genocide" and of having a
pro-Turkish and pro-Azerbaijani position.
The ANCA, in a weekend statement, urged Armenian-Americans "to call
your senators and urge them to reject Bryza's nomination and to write
your senators and urge them to block the nomination."
"Mr. Bryza, with every new dodge, digs himself a deeper and deeper
hole, demonstrating why he is so clearly the wrong choice to be U.S.
ambassador to Azerbaijan," said Aram Hamparian, executive director of
the ANCA. "Our nation's interests in Baku and throughout the Caucasus
would be best served by a fresh start, with a nominee that doesn't
bring such baggage and bias to this important diplomatic posting."
Bryza, who has been U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for
European and Eurasian affairs since 2005, was nominated in May to
become the new U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan, a position vacant since
last year.
Under U.S. laws all senior administration officials, including
ambassadors, need to be confirmed by the Senate. Ambassadorial
nominations first need the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's
approval, and then they should be endorsed in a full Senate vote.
Bryza appeared at his confirmation hearing at the Foreign Relations
Committee on July 22, but shortly later pro-Armenian Sen. Barbara
Boxer, a Democrat from California, delayed his confirmation vote by
the committee until September. The committee members now will decide
Tuesday whether they endorse him or not.
But even if Bryza wins the committee's approval, still any senator may
indefinitely block his nomination by placing a hold on his
confirmation.
Ankara envoy also awaits confirmation
Separately and for different reasons, Obama's ambassadorial pick for
Ankara, Frank Ricciardone, also is still waiting for the completion of
his confirmation process in the Senate.
Obama on July 1 nominated Ricciardone, a former U.S. ambassador to
Egypt and the Philippines. Ricciardone, qualified by some foreign
policy experts as an "Arabist," is planned to replace Jim Jeffrey in
Ankara. Jeffrey has become the new U.S. ambassador to Baghdad.
Ricciardone won the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's backing on
July 22. But on the last day before the Senate went to a summer recess
in August, influential Republican Sen. Sam Brownback from Kansas
formally put a hold on his nomination, saying: "I am not convinced
Ambassador Ricciardone is the right ambassador for Turkey at this time
- despite his extensive diplomatic experience."
In an Aug. 16 letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Brownback
was particularly critical of Ricciardone's service in Egypt. "My
concerns about Ricciardone's work ... lead me to concerns about his
approach to a number of issues in our relationship with Turkey," the
senator said.
"Over the last few years, secular opposition parties (in Turkey) have
complained that they received less access to the U.S. ambassador than
the ruling party, and based on his record to date, I am concerned that
this situation would not change under Ambassador Ricciardone,"
Brownback said.
"I believe we must be concerned that the Turkish government is moving
away from its secularist roots. Next year's pivotal elections provide
an opportunity for the secularists to demonstrate their strength, and
we cannot let our desire for a strong bilateral relationship translate
into de facto support of the ruling party, especially if we have
reason to believe that opposition parties are in danger of being
marginalized," he said.
Brownback then asked Clinton to provide him with information that
would remove his concerns. Clinton in late August provided him with
written answers.
Brownback, who will leave the Senate this fall as part of his quest to
become the Kansas governor, is expected this month to decide whether
or not to lift his hold on Ricciardone.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=us-panel-to-vote-on-azerbaijan-envoy-2010-09-19
From: A. Papazian