INFLUENTIAL MEMBER OF THE CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON ARMENIAN ISSUES TO REPLACE THE CURRENT CHAIRMAN OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE CONGRESSMAN ROBERT WEXLER, MEMBER OF HOUSE CAUCUS ON AZERBAIJAN

APA
Dec 3 2009
Azerbaijan

Washington – APA. A member of the Congressional caucus on Armenian
issues, known as close friend of Armenian Diaspora Bill Delahunt is
going to replace Congressman Robert Wexler at the position of Chairman
of the Subcommittee on Europe; APA’s Washington DC correspondent was
informed at R.Wexler’s office.

Congressman Robert Wexler is currently serving as a Chairman of
the Subcommittee on Europe and a senior member of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee and the Co-Chairman of the Congressional Turkey
Caucus, also member of House Caucus on Azerbaijan.

Wexler’s office informs that Congressman is leaving the Congress and is
accepting a position as President of the Center for Middle East Peace.

Members of Azerbaijani Diaspora express their disappointment about
the replacement.

"This appointment is against Azerbaijan, Turkey and it will be clear
quite soon", told APA’s Washington correspondent Ismail Hamidov,
American Azerbaijani.

He pointed out that Mr. Wexler always preventing Armenians provocations
against Turkey and Azerbaijan in Congress. Azerbaijani Diaspora
representatives remind that the new Chairman Bill Delahunt has
consistently supported Armenian issues, having co-sponsored the
Armenian Genocide Resolution.

Mr. Hamidov says that the Armenian Diaspora will raise the "genocide"
again, and Congressman Delahunt will be lobbying their interests
using his new position: "The Armenians already applied to Congress
and raised the issue. The replacement of Mr. Wexler on pro-Armenian
Congressman is very crucial at this very moment, because if the
"genocide" issue passes the Foreign Affairs Committee, it will be
strengthened even more".

Hamidov is also pointing out that Congressman Wexler is not only
leaving the Committee, but the Congress on the whole: "This means
that now there will be minus one Azerbaijan and Turkey supporter in
the US Congress"

Mr. Wexler is known in Congress as active public person who is also
on the list of the best 50 Congress members.

Originally Jewish attorney from New York Mr. Wexler joint the Congress
in 1997.

This year he along with Pennsylvania Republican Bill Shuster,
has introduced H.R. 2742 (A bill to authorize the extension of
nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to
the products of Azerbaijan.

He is an also author of Eurasia Foundation Act in Congress which
supported additional 15 million dollars assistance for Post-Soviet
countries, including Azerbaijan, fiscal year 2008 and 2009.