Belarus to appoint ambassador to U.S. within 2 months – MFA

<p> MINSK, Jun 30 - PrimePress. Belarus will complete domestic procedures to nominate and send an ambassador to the United States in one or two month, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Vladimir Makei told reporters on June 30. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “We expect the ambassador to take office in the U.S. as soon as possible,” BelTA state newswire quotes Makei as saying. </p> <p>   </p> <p> According to U.S. Chargé d’affaires to Belarus Jenifer Moore, the candidacy of the U.S. ambassador to Belarus goes through an approval procedure in the Senate. “This process usually takes quite a while,” she says. </p> <p>   </p> <p> As reported, Belarus recalled its ambassador to the United States, Mikhail Khvostov, in March 2008 after the US imposed additional sanctions against the Belneftekhim state petrochemical concern. Belarusian authorities demanded that US Ambassador Karen Stewart leave Belarus, and that the number of American diplomats reduce from 35 to five. Since then, the embassies had been headed by charges d’affaires. The Foreign Ministry of Belarus lifted restrictions on the number of American diplomats in March 2019. </p> <p>   </p> <p> US Under Secretary of State David Hale announced in September 2019 that the United States and Belarus were ready to appoint ambassadors. President Donald Trump nominated Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Europe and the EU Julie D. Fisher as United States ambassador to Belarus. Fisher previously served as deputy chief of mission of the US Mission to NATO and charge d’affaires a.i. of the US embassies in Russia, and counselor at the US embassies in Georgia and Ukraine. End </p>

2020-07-01

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