MATTHEW BRYZA DISMISSES RUMORS OF HIS APPOINTMENT AS ENVOY

AzerNews Weekly
July 15 2009
Azerbaijan

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
Affairs, Matthew Bryza, has dismissed recent media reports saying he
would be appointed as the next US ambassador in Baku.

"The reports that I will be coming to Azerbaijan as ambassador are
nothing but a rumor," said Bryza, who co-chairs the OSCE Minsk Group
brokering settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

Bryza told the Baku-based ATV channel that it was unimportant which
of the high-ranking officials was quoted by these reports. "All this
is hearsay and I do not comment on such reports. I am openly saying
that this is untrue," he said.

The reports on Bryza`s taking the ambassadorial post quoted top White
House sources.

Though the previous US Ambassador, Anne Derse, has completed her
diplomatic mission and left Azerbaijan earlier this month, US President
Barack Obama has not yet named her successor.

Yashar Aliyev, the Azeri ambassador to the United States, said that
since Washington has not yet submitted its proposals on the new
appointment to Baku, it is impossible, at this point, to either
confirm or deny the reports on Bryza`s appointment.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress