SENATE PANEL TO CONSIDER MORNINGSTAR NOMINATION WEDNESDAY
Asbarez
Tuesday, June 12th, 2012
Richard Morningstar is President Obama’s nominee for the US
Ambassadorship in Azerbaijan
Hearing will be broadcast live by the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee
WASHINGTON-The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee will consider
President Obama’s nomination of Richard Morningstar to serve as
Ambassador to Azerbaijan, during a hearing on Wednesday, June 13 at
2:45 p.m. Eastern/11:45 a.m. Pacific that will be webcast live on the
panel’s website, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.
“Ambassador Morningstar’s confirmation hearing is an opportunity
for the Senate to shed light on the question that’s really at the
heart of U.S.-Azerbaijani relations: ‘Is the Administration ready
to forcefully challenge Baku’s threats and acts of aggression, or
will it simply continue cheerleading for Ilham Aliyev’s military
escalation and march toward war?'” said ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian. “We look forward to members of the Committee giving this
important nomination the attention and scrutiny it clearly deserves.”
The nomination hearing comes just a week after a marked escalation
in Azerbaijani attacks against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh which
led to 8 deaths. The cross-border fighting occurred during Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to the region, prompting Clinton to
once again to urge the end of violence, but stopping short of properly
condemning Azerbaijani aggression.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the Chairwoman of the panel’s
subcommittee dealing with European affairs, is scheduled to lead the
hearing, which affords members the opportunity to exercise their
advise and consent responsibilities by reviewing candidates for
diplomatic posts, conducting oversight of executive branch activities,
and exploring the various policy issues related to their future
responsibilities.
Richard L. Morningstar currently serves as the U.S. Special Envoy
for Eurasian Energy. His experience in the Caucasus includes his
appointment as Special Advisor to the President and Secretary of
State for Caspian Basin Energy Diplomacy, where he was responsible
for assuring maximum coordination within the Executive Branch
and with other governments and international organizations to
promote United States policies on Caspian Basin energy development
and transportation. From April 1995 to July 1998, he served as
Ambassador and Special Advisor to the President and Secretary of
State on Assistance for the New Independent States of the Former
Soviet Union where he oversaw all U.S. bilateral assistance and trade
investment activities in the NIS. Read his complete biography on the
State Department.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Cashes in on Aliyev Ties
Ambassador Morningstar’s nomination follows the ill-fated Senate
consideration of Matthew Bryza for the same post in 2009. Bryza was
never confirmed by the Senate, eventually serving a one-year term as
Ambassador through a recess appointment by President Obama amid Senate
and Armenian American concerns of both bias and conflict of interest
related to his close ties to Azerbaijan’s corrupt Aliyev regime. Those
concerns have been confirmed by Bryza, himself, in interviews given
following his departure from the U.S. Foreign service and reinforced
by his recent decision to join the Board of Turcas Petrol company,
which is partly controlled by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan
Republic (SOCAR).
“It’s regrettable that Mr. Bryza was allowed, for so long, to use
his senior U.S. government postings as a platform to advance his own
agenda regarding Ankara and Baku,” explained Hamparian. “Mr. Bryza –
with his own words, actions, and choice of employment – has confirmed
the fears of his critics, vindicated those who opposed his nomination,
and embarrassed many in the foreign policy community whose knee-jerk
reaction was to stand in his defense, but who today, upon reflection,
respect and likely even share the very legitimate reasons for the
ANCA’s opposition to his confirmation.”