Suspension of Matthew Bryza’s appointment to the post of the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan is connected with the difficulty to have his candidacy approved in U.S. Congress, Azerbaijani Turan news agency reports, referring to informed diplomatic source. According to it, official Baku agreed to Bryza’s candidature long ago and Azerbaijan’s open discontent on the protraction additionally confirms the fact.

Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov, who recently visited U.S. also opposed the appointment. Many experts consider Bryza’s unpopularity, especially after Georgian 2008 war the reason for delay. Congressmen shuffled off the failure on to diplomats engaged in the Caucasus problems back then.

As NEWS.am reported earlier, U.S. Department of State suspended the procedure on confirmation of Matthew Bryza’s appointment to the post of U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan. The activity of Bryza’s spouse Zeyno Baran might also be the reason for the appointment suspension.

Up to this September, Bryza was holding position of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State. Presently, Tina S. Kaidanow assumes the duties of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, whereas Robert Bradtke joined OSCE Minsk Group as U.S. Co-Chair. The whole time, mass media were spreading information that Bryza is nominated as the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan, and the diplomat himself underlined that “he hopes he can continue working in the South Caucasus.”