Experts comment on Matthew Bryza’s possible appointment as ambassador to Azerbaijan

"I think if Matthew Bryza is appointed ambassador to Azerbaijan, he willfurther strengthen cooperation and partnership between Baku and Washington," chairman of Azerbaijani Democratic Reforms Party and MP Asim Mollazade said.

In early June, Foreign Policy Magazine reported the U.S. Congress holds informal consultations on the possibility of appointing Bryza as a U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan.

"The question on my appointment as an ambassador to Azerbaijan has not been decided yet," Bryza said at a briefing for journalists in Baku on August 12.

He added that he would continue his work in the Caucasus with pleasure, but this is decided by his leaders.

The term of Bryza’s office as a co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group will terminate in September.

Experts says that such significant figure as Bryza's appointment ambassador to Azerbaijan will positively affect most of processes in the region.

Russian analyst on the CIS countries Vladimir Zharikhin said that famous and career diplomat Bryza's appointment ambassador to Azerbaijan reflects U.S significance attached to Azerbaijan.

In turn, Asim Mollazade said Bryza has great experience in U.S relations with Azerbaijan. Bryza participated in promotion and realization of energy contracts such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan for a long time, he said.

"Matthew Bryza contributed much in successful realization of these projects by his energy and activity," Mollazade said.

Bryza, being assistant Secretary of State on South Caucasus, actively participated in solving regional conflicts for a long time, he said.

"He contributed much to develop relations between Azerbaijan and the U.S.," Mollazade added.  

Armenian political scientist Richard Giragosian said there seems to be a need to put a figure of Bryza's stature in the post, reflected his knowledge, contacts and visibility in dealing with the region.

"This appointment reflects not only Azerbaijan's strategic significance for the U.S., but is also tied to the recent warming of relations between Baku and Moscow, Giragosian said.

“Thus, Bryza offers Washington a chance have a high-profile diplomat, with extensive experience to fill this sensitive post."

Giragosian said that there is a need to name a new US ambassador in Baku quickly.

"Too much is happening, in terms of both regional developments and in light of the OSCE's Minsk Group diplomatic effort to mediate the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, to have the sat remain vacant for too long," Giragosian said.

European expert on Caucasus Lichinia Simao says Mathew Bryza's possible appointment as US ambassador to Azerbaijan comes as natural choice, taking into consideration his professional path, from Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs to co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and advisor on U.S. Caspian Basin energy policy.

Bryza is probably one of the most well informed U.S experts on the South Caucasus, has developed close relations with the regional leaderships (including in Moscow) and his possible appointment to the U.S embassy in Baku could mean a reinforced proximity with political leaders which he knows very well, and  to whom Bryza has become a familiar face, said Simao, expert on South Caucasus, a PhD candidate at the University of Coimbra.

Azerbaijani political scientist Tofig Abbasov said Matthew Bryza has certain active role in U.S-Azerbaijani relations, controls situation in forming energy market in the Caspian region.  

He will be able to play more significant role as U.S ambassador to Azerbaijan as extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador's statements sometimes are more significant than special representative's position, Abbasov said.

Abbasov also said Bryza is called as pro-Azerbaijani politician in Armenia as his last statements and appreciations do not coincide with Yerevan's stance.

“But one should not doubt that Bryza is real U.S diplomat and observes U.S interests," said Abbasov, expert at Lider-TV analytic group .

Russian expert Azer Mursaliyev said it is not worth overestimating role of ambassador to such a country as Azerbaijan.

"Role of ambassador is likely to be significant while the country is on geopolitical backyard. But Azerbaijan is in compact sphere of interests not only for the U.S. but for other regional players," Mursaliyev, editor-in-chief of Kommersant daily, said.

There is no special significance for Department of State, the Pentagon and different U.S corporations when ambassador is not only source of information and contacts.

Observers spoke about possible reaction of Moscow on Bryza's appointment ambassador to Azerbaijan, he said.

Simao said that some concern has been expressed about Russia's reaction to Bryza's possible appointment to Baku, since he has been particularly close to the Georgian leadership.

"To what extent this might harm Azerbaijan's stand with Moscow is harder to assess, but I would say that Baku has developed its own approach to Moscow and the U.S. ambassador to Baku will have a limited impact on these bilateral relations," Simao said.

Overall, Bryza will certainly look to continue his diplomatic career after the war in Georgia in 2008, drew a violent blow on his personal achievements in Georgia.

/Trend News/