Calls for Careful Review of Past Diplomatic Track Record
WASHINGTON—The Obama Administration’s nomination on Tues., May 25 of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Bryza for the post of U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan has prompted the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) to launch a nationwide campaign calling upon U.S. Senators to carefully scrutinize his diplomatic record on issues impacting U.S. interests and American values in the Caucasus, southeastern Europe, and the surrounding region.
“We look to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the full U.S. Senate to carefully scrutinize Mr. Bryza’s record, his formal testimony, and responses to the inquiries that he will face during his confirmation process,” said ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian. “As we have outlined publicly on a number of occasions, we continue to have an array of concerns about Mr. Bryza’s conduct of U.S. diplomacy—as an NSC official, a deputy assistant secretary of state, and as the U.S. negotiator in the Nagorno-Karabagh peace process—and, as such, look forward to a vigorous process of advice and consent by the Senate.”
An online ANCA webmail campaign to Senators urges a “full airing” of a broad range of past and present-day views held by Bryza, including his position “related to the Armenian Genocide, the firing of former Ambassador John Evans over his truthful statements recognizing the Genocide, Turkey and Azerbaijan’s blockade of Armenia, the independence of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic, the origins and consequences of the Russia-Georgia war, Azerbaijan’s demolition and desecration of a 7th-century Armenian cemetery in Djulfa, Azerbaijani military threats against Armenians, and the impact of the energy industry on U.S. foreign policy.” Concerned activists can contact their Senators by visiting www.capwiz.com/anca/issues/alert/?alertid=15062881&type=CO.
In August 2009, ANCA chairman Ken Hachikian called specific attention to Bryza’s public statements regarding a number of issues, including the application of the flawed and one-sided
Madrid Principles as the basis for the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabagh issue. To view the complete text of Hachikian’s letter, visit www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1748.
News of Bryza’s nomination was leaked last week by Eurasianet.org, and confirmed on the White House website earlier this week. To read the White House press release, visit http://m.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts-52510.
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