Dennis Sammut: U.S. Policy in South Caucasus will remain same at time of Republicans' control of House

The gaining of the control of the lower house of the U.S Congress by the Republicans will not lead to any major shifts in the US foreign policy towards the South Caucasus, British NGO LINKS head Dennis Sammut said.

"The broad thrust of US policy is bi partisan. However in some of the detailed execution of this policy there may be some changes," Sammut told Trend.

The U.S. Congress held midterm elections on Tuesday. Voters chose the House of Representatives, one third of the Senate and the governors of 37 states. The Republican Party gained control of the House of Representatives, where it now has 60 seats more than the Democrats. The same Democratic Party - President Barack Obama's party - retained control of the Senate.

Sammut believes there is a misperception in the South Caucasus region that somehow the democrats are pro Armenian and the Republicans pro Azerbaijani.

"There are vocal supporters for both sides in congress but these are individuals. But as for the two parties, they are of course pro American," he said.

Since Obama's coming to power in the White House, the United States started to pay more attention to internal problems, not to foreign policy. The South Caucasus, representing a considerable interest to Washington, primarily due to the energy routes passing through the region, remained outside the focus of the administration.

The post of U.S. Ambassador in Baku has been left vacant since the previous ambassador, Ann Derse, left it in connection with the completion of her term in July 2009.

President Barack Obama nominated Matthew Bryza, former co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as the next U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan in May. The two senators that promote Armenian interests - Barbara Boxer and Robert Menedez blocked the Vote on Bryza's candidacy in the Senate.

The current balance of power in Congress, Sammut said, can expedite the process of Bryza's approval as ambassador to Azerbaijan.

In general, he said, American interests in the region at the moment are best served through good relations with Azerbaijan in all areas, progress in the resolution of the Karabakh problem, and more political and economic reforms in Azerbaijan.

"I am sure that we will see the Obama administration and the new congress pushing in these directions," Sammut said.


/Trend/