US appoints new ambassador to Azerbaijan

The US State Department has told AzarTAc news agency that former head of the US diplomatic mission to Kosovo and Pristina Reno Harnish will be the new US ambassador to Azerbaijan. The new ambassador nominated by President George W. Bush would arrive in Baku no sooner than the summer because in this interval the new ambassador's candidacy must pass through voting in the Senate and another post for the incumbent had to be determined. Touching upon Armenian media speculations on the reasons behind the nomination of a diplomat experienced in conflict resolution, the US Ambassador Ross Wilson said there was no need to second guess the appointment.

Reno Harnish has headed the US missions to Kosovo and Pristina. He worked as deputy US ambassador to Sweden 1993-1996, deputy head of the US diplomatic mission to Cairo 1999-2002, where he made great efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to the US State Department, Mr. Harnish has worked on political and economic development programs in Central Asia and played an important role in addressing civil war in Tajikistan. He has also worked as advisor for scientific and technological issues in Rome, economic consultant in Berlin and Vienna.