President Barack Obama named Matthew Bryza U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan, the press secretariat of the White House said. President Obama announced Wednesday his intent to recess appoint six nominees including Matthew Bryza to fill key administration posts that have been left vacant for an extended period of time.
Recess appointments are made when the Senate is not in session and last only until the end of the next session of Congress. They are frequently used when Senate confirmation is not possible.
Senate Republican aides did not have any immediate comment on the recess appointments, which essentially allows these nominees to serve in their posts in a temporary capacity for about one year. If the nominees are not confirmed by the end of the next session of Congress, which is likely to end next November or December, the post will become vacant again.
Obama used his Constitutional power to recess appoint six people who have had their nominations pending for an average of 147 days, according to White House officials.
Bryza currently serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of European and Eurasian Affairs. He previously served as the Director for Europe and Eurasia at the National Security Council in the White House. He was also Special Advisor to the President and Secretary of State on Caspian Basin Energy Diplomacy. Bryza has also served in Russia and Poland. He also served as U.S. co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as ambassador to Azerbaijan
The post of U.S. Ambassador in Baku has been vacant since the previous ambassador, Anne Derse, left it due to completion of her diplomatic mission, in July 2009.
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