POLITICAL SCIENTIST: IF NEGOTIATION PROCESS DOES NOT PROVE EFFECTIVE AND THE PRAGUE ROUND FAILS BY AUTUMN, THE ROTATION OF OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS WILL TAKE PLACE

Today.Az
53138.html
June 16 2009
Azerbaijan

"Unless intensive talks are held on the Karabakh process, I do
not think the United States will re-appoint the US co-chair", said
political scientist Rasim Musabeyov.

"Matt Bryza is taking part in the negotiation process within the OSCE
Minsk Group. Probably, unless there is a hope for promotion of the
Nagorno Karabakh process within the summer, he will stay on his post",
said Musabeyov.

"But if by the end of the summer the negotiation process proves
ineffective and the Prague round fails, the rotation of the OSCE MG
co-chairs will take place and Bryza will be offerred to become the US
ambassador. I find it difficult to say whether he will be appointed
to Azerbaijan or in other country, but I think he is likely to be
appointed to Azerbaijan", said he.

"Matthew Bryza knows the region well and there will be nothing
surprizing if he is appointed the US ambassador to Azerbaijan and no
adaptation will be needed", concluded the political scientist.

Earlier it was reported that the US co-chair of the Minsk Group
Matthew Bryza has been recommended for the post of the US ambassador
to Azerbaijan.

According to the Foreign Policy magazine, Matt Bryza was recommended by
his former director, former asssitant Secretary of State Daniel Fried.

Notably, the White House has not yet declared a candidate for position
of the US ambassador to Azerbaijan.

It should be reminded that on June 4 US president Barack Obama
appointed Anne Derse as the US ambassador to Lithuania. The new
candidacy must be approved by the US senate. It is now unclear who
will be the US ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. Derse
will leave Baku in summer. Derse has been on the position of the US
ambassador to Azerbaijan since May, 2006.