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Congressional Documents and Publications, USA
June 13, 2012
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing
Nominations of Richard Morningstar to be ambassador to the Republic of
Azerbaijan
Timothy Broas to be ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands; and
Jay Nicholas Anania to be ambassador to the Republic of Suriname.;
Testimony by Richard Morningstar, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador
to the Republic of Azerbaijan
Thank you, Madam Chairman, and distinguished Members of the Committee,
for the privilege of appearing before you today as President Obama's
nominee to be the next United States Ambassador to Azerbaijan. I am
grateful for the opportunity to testify this afternoon, and I am
humbled by the confidence that President Obama and Secretary Clinton
have placed in me. If confirmed, I look forward to working with this
Committee, other Members of Congress, and your staffs to advance the
interests of the United States in Azerbaijan.
I would like to introduce my wife, Faith, who has joined me here
today, along with my daughter Jill Morningstar and son-in-law Al
Fitzpayne.
Long before my current position as the Secretary's Special Envoy for
Eurasian Energy, and before my appointment as U.S. Ambassador to the
European Union, I served as Special Advisor to the President and
Secretary of State on Assistance for the Newly Independent States of
the Former Soviet Union. One of the primary goals during that time was
the goal that we continue to pursue today. I have vivid memories
during the 1990s of working through my office to supply fuel oil and
wheat to Georgia and Armenia to help them get through some difficult
winters. Over the years, I made several trips to all three Caucasus
countries.
The United States stands only to gain -- and to reap benefits well
into the future -- from an Azerbaijan that is peaceful, democratic,
prosperous, and strategically linked to the United States and our
European allies. Azerbaijan has enormous potential.
This year, the United States and Azerbaijan celebrated the twentieth
anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relationship. This
milestone is an opportunity not only to appreciate the depth of our
cooperation, but also to take stock of how far we've come in the three
core areas of importance to the relationship: security, energy, and
democratic and economic reform. The Administration believes we must
intensify our cooperation in these areas and work together to resolve
the ongoing challenges that the region continues to face.
international security. We remember that following the attacks of
September 11, 2001, then-Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev was among
the first to extend a hand of support in our time of need and to offer
his country's close cooperation in our efforts to combat terrorism.
That cooperation continues to this day. American and Azerbaijani
soldiers have served together in Kosovo and Iraq, and they now serve
together in Afghanistan. Azerbaijan has shown a sustained commitment
to the allied effort in Afghanistan, including its vital role as a
transportation route in the Northern Distribution Network for
supporting NATO's operations in Afghanistan. Thousands of flights have
crossed Azerbaijan's airspace en route to Afghanistan, and thousands
of containers have departed Baku in support of the International
Security Assistance Force. The U.S. works closely and productively
with Azerbaijan on the UN Security Council, where this year Azerbaijan
began its first-ever term as a non-permanent member.
The U.S. and Azerbaijan have also enjoyed twenty years of cooperation
on energy security. In my current position as Special Envoy for
Eurasian Energy, I work closely with Azerbaijan. The
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which I worked on in the past, and the
development today of the Southern closer Euro-Atlantic integration and
global commitment to energy security - a key part of our strategy to
diversify energy routes and sources for European markets. If
confirmed, I will continue to work with Azerbaijan to diversify its
energy routes and bolster its critical energy infrastructure
protection. But Azerbaijan's integration with the West can and must
span well beyond pipelines.
The United States must also continue work with Azerbaijan on advancing
democratic and economic reforms, including promoting respect for the
rule of law, transparency, and fundamental freedoms. There is no
question that Azerbaijan is located in a tough neighborhood, facing
real pressures. However, democratic reforms are essential to
Azerbaijan's long-term security and prosperity. It is in Azerbaijan's
own interest to undertake these reforms, both to ensure long-term
stability and to unleash the full potential of its people. And as
Azerbaijan advances along this path, our bilateral relationship will
become even stronger. An independent judiciary, a free media, a
vibrant civil society, political pluralism, competition through free
and fair elections, and respect for fundamental freedoms are essential
components of any democracy, and we need to work together to increase
the week, while in Baku, made a strong statement on these issues. If
confirmed, I will do everything in my power to help Azerbaijan succeed
in developing as a strong, independent, and modern democracy.
To achieve a more secure and prosperous future for the region, there
is no higher immediate priority for the United States than the
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As a Co-Chair of
the OSCE Minsk Group, the United States continues to assist the sides
to achieve a peaceful, lasting negotiated settlement of the conflict
based on the principles of the Helsinki Final Act, including the
Non-Use of Force or Threat of Force, Territorial Integrity, and the
Equal Rights and Self-Determination of Peoples. If confirmed, I will
support the Administration's commitment, at the highest levels, to
achieving this goal. I will also support the efforts of the U.S.
Co-Chair, Ambassador Robert Bradtke, as we work closely with the sides
to reach a settlement. The President, Secretary of State, and
Ambassador Bradtke have made major efforts to facilitate a settlement.
We must continue these efforts. Only a negotiated settlement can lead
to long-term peace and stability in the region.
Madam Chairman, if I am confirmed, I will have the great honor of
advancing a relationship that has progressed, steadily and
uninterrupted, for the twenty years since Azerbaijan declared its
independence. Our wide range of shared interests intersects with many
of the United States' highest foreign policy priorities. But there is
still much we can do to bring our governments, our societies, and our
people even closer together.
Madam Chairman, thank you very much for considering my nomination. I
look forward to your questions.
Read this original document at:
http://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Morningstar.pdf
June 13, 2012
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing
Nominations of Richard Morningstar to be ambassador to the Republic of
Azerbaijan
Timothy Broas to be ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands; and
Jay Nicholas Anania to be ambassador to the Republic of Suriname.;
Testimony by Richard Morningstar, of Massachusetts, to be Ambassador
to the Republic of Azerbaijan
Thank you, Madam Chairman, and distinguished Members of the Committee,
for the privilege of appearing before you today as President Obama's
nominee to be the next United States Ambassador to Azerbaijan. I am
grateful for the opportunity to testify this afternoon, and I am
humbled by the confidence that President Obama and Secretary Clinton
have placed in me. If confirmed, I look forward to working with this
Committee, other Members of Congress, and your staffs to advance the
interests of the United States in Azerbaijan.
I would like to introduce my wife, Faith, who has joined me here
today, along with my daughter Jill Morningstar and son-in-law Al
Fitzpayne.
Long before my current position as the Secretary's Special Envoy for
Eurasian Energy, and before my appointment as U.S. Ambassador to the
European Union, I served as Special Advisor to the President and
Secretary of State on Assistance for the Newly Independent States of
the Former Soviet Union. One of the primary goals during that time was
the goal that we continue to pursue today. I have vivid memories
during the 1990s of working through my office to supply fuel oil and
wheat to Georgia and Armenia to help them get through some difficult
winters. Over the years, I made several trips to all three Caucasus
countries.
The United States stands only to gain -- and to reap benefits well
into the future -- from an Azerbaijan that is peaceful, democratic,
prosperous, and strategically linked to the United States and our
European allies. Azerbaijan has enormous potential.
This year, the United States and Azerbaijan celebrated the twentieth
anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relationship. This
milestone is an opportunity not only to appreciate the depth of our
cooperation, but also to take stock of how far we've come in the three
core areas of importance to the relationship: security, energy, and
democratic and economic reform. The Administration believes we must
intensify our cooperation in these areas and work together to resolve
the ongoing challenges that the region continues to face.
international security. We remember that following the attacks of
September 11, 2001, then-Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev was among
the first to extend a hand of support in our time of need and to offer
his country's close cooperation in our efforts to combat terrorism.
That cooperation continues to this day. American and Azerbaijani
soldiers have served together in Kosovo and Iraq, and they now serve
together in Afghanistan. Azerbaijan has shown a sustained commitment
to the allied effort in Afghanistan, including its vital role as a
transportation route in the Northern Distribution Network for
supporting NATO's operations in Afghanistan. Thousands of flights have
crossed Azerbaijan's airspace en route to Afghanistan, and thousands
of containers have departed Baku in support of the International
Security Assistance Force. The U.S. works closely and productively
with Azerbaijan on the UN Security Council, where this year Azerbaijan
began its first-ever term as a non-permanent member.
The U.S. and Azerbaijan have also enjoyed twenty years of cooperation
on energy security. In my current position as Special Envoy for
Eurasian Energy, I work closely with Azerbaijan. The
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which I worked on in the past, and the
development today of the Southern closer Euro-Atlantic integration and
global commitment to energy security - a key part of our strategy to
diversify energy routes and sources for European markets. If
confirmed, I will continue to work with Azerbaijan to diversify its
energy routes and bolster its critical energy infrastructure
protection. But Azerbaijan's integration with the West can and must
span well beyond pipelines.
The United States must also continue work with Azerbaijan on advancing
democratic and economic reforms, including promoting respect for the
rule of law, transparency, and fundamental freedoms. There is no
question that Azerbaijan is located in a tough neighborhood, facing
real pressures. However, democratic reforms are essential to
Azerbaijan's long-term security and prosperity. It is in Azerbaijan's
own interest to undertake these reforms, both to ensure long-term
stability and to unleash the full potential of its people. And as
Azerbaijan advances along this path, our bilateral relationship will
become even stronger. An independent judiciary, a free media, a
vibrant civil society, political pluralism, competition through free
and fair elections, and respect for fundamental freedoms are essential
components of any democracy, and we need to work together to increase
the week, while in Baku, made a strong statement on these issues. If
confirmed, I will do everything in my power to help Azerbaijan succeed
in developing as a strong, independent, and modern democracy.
To achieve a more secure and prosperous future for the region, there
is no higher immediate priority for the United States than the
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As a Co-Chair of
the OSCE Minsk Group, the United States continues to assist the sides
to achieve a peaceful, lasting negotiated settlement of the conflict
based on the principles of the Helsinki Final Act, including the
Non-Use of Force or Threat of Force, Territorial Integrity, and the
Equal Rights and Self-Determination of Peoples. If confirmed, I will
support the Administration's commitment, at the highest levels, to
achieving this goal. I will also support the efforts of the U.S.
Co-Chair, Ambassador Robert Bradtke, as we work closely with the sides
to reach a settlement. The President, Secretary of State, and
Ambassador Bradtke have made major efforts to facilitate a settlement.
We must continue these efforts. Only a negotiated settlement can lead
to long-term peace and stability in the region.
Madam Chairman, if I am confirmed, I will have the great honor of
advancing a relationship that has progressed, steadily and
uninterrupted, for the twenty years since Azerbaijan declared its
independence. Our wide range of shared interests intersects with many
of the United States' highest foreign policy priorities. But there is
still much we can do to bring our governments, our societies, and our
people even closer together.
Madam Chairman, thank you very much for considering my nomination. I
look forward to your questions.
Read this original document at:
http://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Morningstar.pdf