Americas

Americas

Senate confirms McFaul as U.S. envoy to Russia

19 December 2011 09:57 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Habil Suleymanzadeh â€“ APA. The Obama administration’s top adviser on Russia policy, Michael McFaul, was approved by the Senate on Saturday to serve as the country’s ambassador to Moscow, APA reports referring to Reuters.
McFaul was a leading architect of the Democratic administration’s "reset" policy focused on improving relations with Russia and helped negotiate a new U.S.-Russia nuclear arms reduction treaty.
The former Stanford University professor replaces John Beyrle, who was appointed in 2008 by former President George W. Bush and is expected to leave Moscow later this month.
McFaul’s confirmation had been delayed by Senator Mark Kirk.
The Republican was seeking assurances from the Obama administration that it would not share classified data with Russia on the U.S. missile defense system, as part of Washington’s efforts to convince Moscow the system being built in Eastern Europe is not directed against Russia.
Kirk told the Senate earlier this week he would no longer delay a vote on McFaul’s nomination for two reasons. First, he said he had in fact received the written assurances he sought from the Obama administration.
"I will be supporting his nomination also because he will be good in working with the opposition and human rights communities in Russia," Kirk said of McFaul.