综合一区欧美国产,99国产麻豆免费精品,九九精品黄色录像,亚洲激情青青草,久久亚洲熟妇熟,中文字幕av在线播放,国产一区二区卡,九九久久国产精品,久久精品视频免费

World / US and Canada

US Senate panel backs confirmation of new ambassador to Russia

(Agencies) Updated: 2014-07-30 10:00

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama's nominee to be the new US ambassador to Russia could be on his way to Moscow in days, after US senators put aside partisan differences to hold a quick vote backing his appointment on Tuesday.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held an unscheduled evening meeting to unanimously approve the nomination of John Tefft, a career diplomat and former ambassador to Ukraine, Georgia and Lithuania, to be the new envoy to Moscow.

After five months without an American in the position, both Republicans and Democrats said the dire state of US relations with Russia made it imperative to confirm Tefft before Congress leaves on Aug. 1 for a five-week recess.

There was no immediate word on when the full Senate might hold that vote.

Tefft had painted a dire picture of relations with Moscow as he sailed through his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations panel earlier on Tuesday.

"Our relations with Russia today are in serious trouble and their future is uncertain," he testified to the committee. "The United States cannot ignore the fundamental challenge to the international order posed by Russia's actions in the Ukraine crisis."

"In my view we cannot afford to wait to send an ambassador to Russia," said Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, the committee's chairman.

Senator John McCain, an Arizona Republican and frequent critic of Obama's foreign policy, called for unanimous approval of Tefft by the committee.

Tefft served as ambassador to Ukraine under Obama, a Democrat, and to Georgia and Lithuania under President George W. Bush, a Republican. He agreed to come out of retirement to take up the position in Moscow.

Dozens of Obama's other nominees to be ambassadors have been held up for months amid bitter partisan fighting in the US Senate.

The previous US ambassador to Moscow, Michael McFaul, left the position in February.

Related stories:

US, EU to impose new sanctions on Russia this week

US-Russia relations frosty, but no Cold War II afoot

Trudeau visits Sina Weibo
May gets little gasp as EU extends deadline for sufficient progress in Brexit talks
Ethiopian FM urges strengthened Ethiopia-China ties
Yemen's ex-president Saleh, relatives killed by Houthis
Most Popular
Hot Topics

...
彝良县| 万年县| 湖州市| 吴川市| 大姚县| 隆回县| 陆河县| 如东县| 遵义市| 泰来县| 利川市| 蓝田县| 漠河县| 万年县| 都江堰市| 庆安县| 渑池县| 麻栗坡县| 牡丹江市| 汕头市| 江孜县| 名山县| 科技| 古交市| 榆社县| 牙克石市| 托克托县| 左权县| 石河子市| 澄城县| 榆中县| 温泉县| 南澳县| 林甸县| 清涧县| 星子县| 自贡市| 时尚| 九台市| 平乐县| 彰化县|