Azerbaijan: Bryza Has Landed

To some Azerbaijanis (and many Georgians), the news might be equivalent to saying that the Eagle has landed. On February 6, Matthew Bryza, Washington's first ambassador to Azerbaijan since 2009, finally arrived in Baku, after a drawn-out congressional campaign to block his appointment that soured ties between Azerbaijan and the US.

Speaking to reporters in the airport, the beaming Bryza, who enjoys near-celebrity status in much of the South Caucasus, simply expressed pleasure at the "honor" of being named ambassador and presenting "my credentials to President Aliyev."

But while the battle against Bryza's ambassadorial post may be lost, his opponents insist that the war has just begun. The Washington Times' Embassy Row reported on February 6 that the Armenian National Committee of Armenia is gearing up for a fresh anti-Bryza campaign. The lobby group claims that the longtime US diplomat's allegedly close ties to Azerbaijani officials should disqualify him from the post.

Barring a Senate confirmation, Bryza's appointment is only good for a year.

"We look to senators to stand up for US interests, American values and our nation's diplomacy credibility by doing everything in their power to prevent the confirmation of this candidate," declared ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

To be continued.