Former U.S. envoy to Armenia fired from key State Department postAugust 24, 2017 - 14:47 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Former U.S. ambassador to Armenia John Heffern who oversees European and NATO policy is being forced out of his job, the latest senior civil servant to be pushed aside in the Trump administration’s shake-up of the State Department, current and former officials said, according to Foreign Policy. Heffern, a veteran diplomat, is currently the acting assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs. He was due to hand over that post to a political appointee, A. Wess Mitchell, who has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. Heffern would have then returned to his permanent assignment as principal deputy assistant secretary for European affairs, serving as a key lieutenant to Mitchell. The principal deputies play a crucial role in helping political appointees navigate the government bureaucracy. Heffern will remain an employee at the State Department, but it’s unclear where he’ll be assigned next. Mitchell, the White House pick for the position, has spent years writing and lecturing on European issues, leading a think tank dedicated to the subject, but has no government experience. With Heffern’s ouster, Mitchell — if confirmed — loses an experienced State Department hand who knows the intricacies of European diplomacy. From 2011 to 2014, Heffern served as ambassador to Armenia, a politically charged assignment given the Armenian-American community’s political activism in Washington. But Heffern “did a really good job of navigating those waters and, as a result, has a good reputation on the Hill,” one Senate staffer said. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | About 32,000 rally in Yerevan to deman Pashinyan’s resignation About 31,700 people attended an opposition rally on Thursday, May 9 in Yerevan demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Armenian, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister to meet in Almaty Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov will meet in Almaty. Viva-MTS: Tech solutions to modernize infrastructure of border village The border village has been the focus of Viva-MTS and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Values since 2015. Ucom's fixed network launched in Artashat To mark this occasion, the company has introduced a special offer exclusively for Artashat residents. |