23 years ago these days, when Armenia just gained its Independence, Richard Mills was appointed the coordinator of the Armenian affairs, at the State Department, thus becoming the first US diplomat responsible for Yerevan – Washington relations. Now Mills is the the ambassador-designate to Armenia.
With the offer of President Obama Robert Cekuta, specializing in energetics, is designated as the Ambassador to neighbouring Azerbaijan. The hearings for both of the Ambassadors were held simultaneously at the Senate.
Both Mills and Cekuta put the focus on the peaceful regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, emphasizing the principles of exclusion of force or force-threatening, self-determination, and territorial integrity.
During the hearings the would-be US representative to Armenia said that in terms of Turkish - Armenian normalization the ball is on the Turkish half of the field. He said the regulation can not be tracked to a third state.
For more details see the video.
