details added (first version posted at 09:08)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.5
By Seba Aghayeva - Trend:
The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations approved the candidacy of Robert Cekuta as the new ambassador to Azerbaijan, the US embassy told Trend Dec. 5.
President Barack Obama nominated the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the country's energy issues Robert Francis Cekuta for the post of ambassador to Azerbaijan.
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 B.S. from Georgetown University, an M.A. from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and an M.A. from the National Defense University.
"We are pleased that the Committee approved the candidacy of the new ambassador to Azerbaijan," the embassy said. "We look forward to seeing his candidacy approved by the Sentate as well."
The post of the US ambassador to Azerbaijan is vacant. Former Ambassador Richard Morningstar returned to the United States after ending his term of office.
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Seba Aghayeva is deputy head of Trend Agency's Azerbaijani news service, follow her on Twitter: @Asebaa