US: Committed to appointing full-time ambassador soon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 4

Facing criticism for appointing the fifth successive temporary ambassador to India, the White House has said it continued with efforts to get the nomination of Ambassador-elect and Los Angeles Mayor passed by the Senate.

Asked when the Biden administration will be able to achieve this, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was unable to give a timeline. “We continue to seek the expeditious confirmation of Mayor Eric Garcetti, which is a priority of the President,” she said.

Garcetti’s nomination was initially blocked over a year back by Republican Senator Chuck Grassley because of allegations of inappropriate behaviour by one of his senior staffers. But ever since the hold was lifted, the Democrats have been hesitating to bring the nominations of Garcetti and quite a few other Ambassador-elects to the floor of the Senate as they are unsure of a majority.

Last month, the US State Department announced the appointment of the fifth successive Chargé d’Affaires for India. Announcing the appointment of Elizabeth Jones, 74, as CDA, a US State Department statement quoted Joe Biden as stating that the US-India partnership is “one of the most consequential in the world”.

Ever since Trump-appointee Kenneth I Juster left office after the change in administration in January 2021, the US has posted five CDAs here — Don Heflin, Edgard Kagan, Daniel Smith, Atul Keshap and Patricia A Lacina.

Jones recently served as the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts. She was earlier the Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for the Near East, and Ambassador to Kazakhstan. She carries the highest Foreign Service rank of Career Ambassador. Los Angeles Mayor since 2013, Garcetti has travelled to India several times and in college, he spent a year studying Hindi and Urdu. He has also served as an Intelligence Officer in the US Navy Reserve Component with the Defence Intelligence Agency and the Pacific Fleet.

Garcetti’s nomination blocked year ago

• Eric Garcetti's nomination was initially blocked over a year back by Republican Senator Chuck Grassley because of allegations of inappropriate behaviour by one of his senior staffers
• Los Angeles Mayor since 2013, he has travelled to India several times
• He has also served as an Intelligence Officer in the US Navy Reserve Component with the Defence Intelligence Agency and the Pacific Fleet

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