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

...
海宁市| 峡江县| 五常市| 治多县| 金门县| 军事| 新绛县| 慈利县| 阿瓦提县| 九台市| 昌平区| 本溪| 晋城| 镇原县| 马鞍山市| 扬中市| 景泰县| 武强县| 井研县| 铜山县| 梅州市| 乌鲁木齐市| 渭源县| 安图县| 庐江县| 十堰市| 花莲县| 乐东| 东港市| 正镶白旗| 丁青县| 冕宁县| 红河县| 镇康县| 辰溪县| 临桂县| 东丽区| 招远市| 潜江市| 玉环县| 陇川县|