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  • Waiting for Morningstar

    The Washington Times
    June 22, 2012 Friday


    Embassy Row: WAITING FOR MORNINGSTAR

    By James Morrison

    Azerbaijan, an oil-rich Central Asian nation and key U.S. ally, has
    had no American ambassador since January and is growing restless for
    U.S. diplomatic attention.

    "It is necessary to appoint an ambassador to our country for the
    dynamic development of Azerbaijani-U.S. relations," presidential
    spokesman Elnur Aslanov told reporters this week in the Azeri capital,
    Baku.

    In Washington, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday
    approved President Obama's nominee for the position, Richard
    Morningstar, a career diplomat.

    If confirmed by the full Senate, Mr. Morningstar would replace the
    controversial Matthew Bryza, whom Mr. Obama appointed for a temporary,
    yearlong term during a congressional recess in 2010.

    Sens. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Barbara Boxer of California,
    both Democrats, tried to block Mr. Bryza's nomination because they
    suspected he was too biased in his support for Azerbaijan in its
    ethnic and territorial disputes with neighboring Armenia.

    Both senators draw strong support from Armenian-Americans, a small but
    influential voting bloc.




    From: A. Papazian
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