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BAKU: Prominent Republican Backs Bryza As US Envoy In Baku

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  • BAKU: Prominent Republican Backs Bryza As US Envoy In Baku

    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
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