Senate Foreign Relations Committee Set to Hold Nomination Hearings on U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan and Armenia Nominees on Wednesday, Sept. 17
WASHINGTON—U.S. relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan will be in the Congressional spotlight next week, as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee begins consideration of President Obama’s nominees to these two Caucasus countries, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
“The Senate confirmation process for U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan nominee Robert Cekuta represents an urgently needed opportunity for Congressional oversight of the U.S. relationship with an Azerbaijani government that is rapidly escalating toward war and increasingly cracking down on domestic dissent,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We look forward to close scrutiny of the Azerbaijan nomination and welcome the opportunity for Ambassador-designate Richard Mills to outline for the Committee his plans to help mark the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and, more broadly, to deepen and strengthen the U.S.-Armenia relationship.”
The ANCA has circulated an Action Alert urging friends of Armenia across the U.S. to contact their Senators and urge close scrutiny of the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan nominee. The ANCA alert is available here.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee Confirmation hearing will be held on Wednesday, September 17th at 10:00am EST. For more information, click here.
U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan nominee Robert F. Cekuta is the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the Energy Resources Bureau. Recent overseas assignments include Tokyo (2007 – 2009) and Berlin (2003 – 2007) where he led the US Government’s engagement on the full range of economic issues with two of the world’s top economies. Bob’s work as Economic Minister Counselor in Germany included counter-terrorism and efforts to combat international criminal activities. He was also Senior Advisor for Food Security in the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs and Senior Deputy Coordinating Director at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan for all development and economic affairs. Having been assigned overseas in Albania, Austria, Iraq, South Africa, and Yemen, Bob has also worked in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (1999 – 2000). He has held positions in Washington at the State Department responsible for energy, trade, and economic development, including Director for Economic Policy Analysis and Public Diplomacy, Special Negotiator for Biotechnology, and Director of the Iraq Economic Task Force.
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia nominee Richard M. Mills, Jr. most recently served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. Previously, Mr. Mills served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d’Affaires, Embassy Valetta, Malta (2010-2012), Senior Democracy Advisor, Embassy Baghdad, Iraq (2009-2010), Political Officer, Embassy London, England (2006-2009), Economic Officer and Acting Economic Counselor, Embassy Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (2005-2006), Political Officer, Embassy Islamabad, Pakistan (2003-2004), Political Officer, U.S. Mission to the United Nations, New York (2001-2003), Economic/Commercial Officer, Embassy Dublin, Ireland (1999-2001), Line Director, Executive Secretariat, Office of the Secretary, Department of State (1996-1998), Legislative Affairs Officer, Office of Legislative Affairs, Department of State (1995-1996), Political Officer, Consulate Saint Petersburg, Russia (1993-1995), Desk Officer, Bureau of Soviet Union Affairs, Department of State, (1990-1992), and Consular Officer/Staff Aide, Embassy Paris, France (1988-1990). Prior to his Foreign Service career, Mr. Mills was an Associate Attorney at Duncan, Allen and Mitchell in Washington, D.C. (1985-1987) and an Associate Attorney at Wickwire, Gavin and Gibbs in Washington, D.C. (1984-1985).
Guest Contributor
Latest posts by Guest Contributor (see all)
- Serouj Kradjian delights Boston audience with sold-out debut performance - December 31, 2024
- Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe seeking doctoral applications - December 31, 2024
- Ani Nalbandian introduces her new book to Mourad Armenian School students - December 18, 2024
Now that WWIII is just around the corner, let’s all remember that Armenia was one of the ten nations (including North Korea) that fully support Putin’s invasion of the Crimea and Ukraine!!! Yet, Armenians still SHAMELESSLY continue to intimidate politicians and other hopeless gullible souls!!! You’ll ALL answer to GOD for your SINS when your times come!!!
What do you expect Armenia to do? Go counter to Russia? And should Armenia be friends with the Pro-Zionist State Department? pro-neocon war machine? Pro Oil corrupt corporations? Pro Turkish United States? Its actually better to arm the Armenian forces to the teeth. Its the ONLY DETERANT…Its better to stop criticizing and have unity. For a change..
Adrino,
Actually, Putin did not invade Crimea. He sent troops to Crimea to assist the Crimean self-defense forces in case of an attack by Ukraine. Earlier this year on March 11th, the Supreme Council of Crimea adopted a joint resolution expressing their desire to declare independence from Ukraine, with the possibility of joining the Russian Federation. In the March 16th referendum, nearly 96 percent of those who participated in the Crimean vote, supported the decision to join Russia. This makes perfect sense after all, since the majority of Crimea’s inhabitants happen to be Russian. Furthermore, on March 17th, the Crimean parliament officially declared its independence from Ukraine and requested to join the Russian Federation.
In terms of invading other countries, why don’t we talk about the United States which makes its living by bullying, threatening, and then finally invading other countries by ruthlessly bombing them from top to bottom, and in the process, murdering hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians like it did in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
Exactly which politicians have the Armenians intimidated? On the contrary, it’s your Turkish and Azeri compatriots who’ve been intimidating politicians. Whenever they fail to bribe politicians with all that money they spend annually on countering any kind of resolutions in regard to recognition of the Artsakh Republic’s independence, as well as recognition of the Armenian Genocide, then what do they end up doing? They end up intimidating these politicians in a rather threatening manner.