Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.10
By Anakhanim Hidayatova - Trend:
The US co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick looks forward to working with the newly appointed US ambassadors to Azerbaijan and Armenia, Robert Cekuta and Richard Mills on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"We welcome two new ambassadors: Rick Mills to Armenia and Bob Cekuta to Azerbaijan," Warlick tweeted. "I look forward to working with you on Nagorno-Karabakh peace."
The US Senate approved the candidacy of Robert Cekuta as the new ambassador to Azerbaijan on Dec.16, 2014.
Cekuta's recent overseas assignments include Tokyo (2007 - 2009) and Berlin (2003 - 2007) where he led the US government's participation in the full range of economic issues.
Cekuta's activity as Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs at the US embassy in Germany covered counter-terrorism activities and efforts to combat international crime.
He also served as the Senior Advisor for Food Security in the Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs and as the Senior Deputy Coordinating Director for Economic and Development Affairs at the US embassy in Kabul.
Moreover, Cekuta served as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the US Trade Representative from 1999 to 2000. He was also a Special Negotiator for Biotechnology in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs in 2002.
Cekuta received a BS from Georgetown University, an M.A. from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and an M.A. from the National Defense University.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.