US insists on Larry Palmer as next ambassador to Venezuela

[Bacchus39]

US insists on Larry Palmer as next ambassador to Venezuela

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/BreakingNews/View/41761


The United States Department of State insisted that Larry Palmer should be the next US Ambassador to Venezuela, and said that the government of President Hugo Chávez had previously approved the diplomat's candidacy.

The Department of State's spokesman, Philip Crowley, said during his daily press conference that Barack Obama's government has no intention of changing the candidate, who is to substitute Patrick Duddy in the US legation in Caracas, after Chávez affirmed he would not accept Palmer as US Ambassador.

"Mr. Palmer continues being our candidate to be Ambassador in Caracas," the spokesman said who, when asked if the US government had plans to change the nominee, responded with a resounding "no."

Crowley also reiterated that Washington "has not received any formal notification from the Venezuelan government" stating that Palmer was rejected. According to what Chávez said on Sunday, Palmer "disabled himself" due to statements made to the US Senate in response to a questionnaire used to measure his suitability for the post.

Palmer said the morale of the Venezuelan Armed Forces was low and that it was necessary to investigate the alleged presence of Colombian guerrilla fighters in Venezuelan territory.

The spokesman also highlighted that the US "as usual, requests the approval of all governments before officialising a candidacy" for Ambassador to any country.

"We received that approval from the Venezuelan government. They're very aware o f the comments he has made in his testimony" before the Senate, Crowley explained, who said that, nevertheless, the US will continue trying to explain to Caracas "as best it can" that Palmer "can be an effective mediator between both governments and can help to boost the interests of both countries."

"We hope to dissipate any doubt the Venezuelan government might have," because for Washington, Palmer -who has yet to be confirmed by the Senate-, "is the adequate candidate that can help us progress in our bilateral relationship," he added.

"We hope Mr. Palmer ends up being our Ambassador do Venezuela," Crowley affirmed.

Previously, the spokesman for the Western Hemisphere Office of the Department of State, Charles Luoma-Overstreet, had insisted on Palmer's qualities for accepting the "challenge" of the US embassy in Venezuela, as well as the importance of diplomacy and communication in order to resolve differences between both countries.

"President Obama has selected Larry Palmer for this challenge precisely due to his exceptional qualifications and his outstanding professionalism," he said.

"We believe in the importance of diplomacy in order to maintain communication and help resolve bilateral differences," he also highlighted.

On Sunday, Chávez rejected Palmer as Ambassador in his country, and asked Obama to look for another candidate.c

"How do you think, Obama, that I'm going to accept that ambassador? The best would be for you to take him away. Don't insist; he disabled himself. I ask of you, he cannot come," Chávez sais during his programme ¡Aló Presidente!

With hid declarations, Palmer "broke all the rules of diplomacy, messing with us and, also, with the Armed Forces, maybe to seek the applause of the senators," the head of state said.

[rabs]

1. This story is from a press briefing on AUG 9

So it is not new. Last week the Foreign Ministry announced it had officially notified the State Department that Palmer would not be allowed in Venezuela as persona non grata.

---------------------------

From the July 9 briefing at the State Department:

QUESTION: Yeah, do you have any reaction on what the Venezuelan Government said regarding the U.S. nominee to be ambassador to Venezuela?


MR. CROWLEY: Mr. Palmer is still our nominee to be the ambassador in Caracas.


QUESTION: Would you consider that that would happen if, like, consequence of a leak of information that was not supposed to happen? Considering that everybody now knows what Mr. Palmer answered to the questions regarding –


MR. CROWLEY: Right. He was asked questions during his hearing. He provided written responses to those questions. That is a matter of public record. However, he remains our nominee to be the ambassador to Venezuela.


QUESTION: So no change of plans?


MR. CROWLEY: Hmm?


QUESTION: For now? No –


MR. CROWLEY: No.


QUESTION: -- change at all?


QUESTION: Does that mean that the Venezuelan Government has not withdrawn agrément?


MR. CROWLEY: I don’t speak for the Venezuelan Government.


QUESTION: Well, yeah. But you’re suggesting that you’re going to force this guy down their throats when they say that they don’t want him and you can’t do that unless you want to violate the Vienna Conventions.


MR. CROWLEY: You’re inferring something that we have not heard officially from the Venezuelan Government.


QUESTION: Okay, so in other words, what Chavez said on his TV program yesterday, that has not been communicated formally to you guys and they have not withdrawn their agreement to accept him as the ambassador?


MR. CROWLEY: We have not received a formal notification from the Government of Venezuela.


QUESTION: So in this case, when the process is ongoing, like that, waiting for the process to be finished on the Senate, even if there is a question regarding from another country about a nominee, you just proceed with the process regardless?


MR. CROWLEY: Well, the President has nominated Mr. Palmer because we think he has the right expertise and professionalism to be successful as our ambassador in Venezuela. As is customary, we do seek agrément from any government before we place the individual in nomination. We received agrément from the Venezuelan Government. They are quite aware of the comments that he made in his testimony. We will, I think, continue to try to best help the Venezuelan Government to understand that this individual can be an effective interlocutor between our two governments and can help advance the interests of both of our countries.


QUESTION: But at the same time, I mean, the agrément is not just like a rubber stamp. I mean, if they withdraw the agrément, you have no choice but to – I mean, you have a choice. You can put forward another candidate or –


MR. CROWLEY: Again, remember at the start of the conversation – and we’re certainly hopeful that we can assuage whatever concerns the Venezuelan Government has. But he is still our nominee.


QUESTION: But if they withdraw agrément, will you put forward another name or no?


MR. CROWLEY: We hope that Mr. Palmer will be, in fact, our ambassador in Venezuela.


QUESTION: Have you sought clarification from the Venezuelans following President Chavez’s comments about whether or not that constitutes –


MR. CROWLEY: I can’t say that we’ve had any conversations to date.


QUESTION: Do you plan to do that?


QUESTION: Do you foresee to have a dialogue with them?


MR. CROWLEY: Hmm?


QUESTION: Do you foresee to have a dialogue with the Venezuelan Government to convince them to accept Mr. Palmer?


MR. CROWLEY: We have had conversations with Venezuela. I can’t say what would happen today since comments by President Chavez yesterday. But we continue to make the case to Venezuela, I think, that we believe Mr. Palmer is the right candidate and can help advance our relationship.


http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2010/08/145819.htm

[Bacchus39]

3. no, I believe it was in response to Chavez's "official" rejection last week

and the US once again reiterated that Palmer is the nominee.

regardless, there will be no US ambassador in Venezuela for the foreseeable future. Not that I am at all troubled by that.

[ChangoLoa]

5. Maybe that's precisely the goal of the scandal. nt

[Bacchus39]

6. I don't doubt that. A nominee selected to "test" Chavez

I even stated before that Obama had no intention of having Palmer serve there anyway. think about it, Palmer is a career diplomat and not a "political appointee" per se. Most ambassadorships are usually given to private sector friends of the President or nominated by friends of the President, or they are current or former congressmen. they typically leave when the administration leaves office. Career State department employees make up a minority of ambassadorships.

Palmer is not sitting on his hands. He is a State Department employee and it drawing a paycheck.

this is just a diplomatic game going on. Obama has pretty much ignored Chavez. in the grand scheme of things this impasse means very little to either the US or Venezuela.

[naaman fletcher]

2. Rude

The u.s is being rude and un-neighborly

[ChangoLoa]

4. Indeed! nt

[bherrera]

7. Maybe it's a practical point

If the ambassador is given a list of items to discuss with the USA Senate, and all candidates have to say the same thing, then if this Palmer is changed, the next candidate will say the same thing anyway. The US government has clearly meant to have the candidate say what he did, and this is a signal to the Venezuelan government. And the signal will be sent repeatedly, in a subtle fashion.

I read that, in another parallel discussion, the USA is making business with the Castro brothers, to reduce the embargo in exchange for the Cuban help with the Iranians. The Cubans have a lot of influence in Caracas, and they may be in turn pressing the Venezuelans to cut their relation with Iran. I like the idea that USA is going to drop the embargo, because that is an incredible mistake, to have one, and it is also causing a lot of problem for the Cuban people. I think that Cubans will evolve from marxist style socialism to something more intelligent if the stupid Americans leave them alone. Marxist style socialism is an anachronism, it is demonstrated to be a non-sense. But there may be an application of the socialist principle which is coupled to capitalism, to make the bourguesie support a benign system which improves society's treatment of the lower classes.

[naaman fletcher]

8. I disagree

One can disagree without being aggressive and argumentative, particularly when you are their guest.

Let's say Judi Lynn was having a BBQ for the LA forum and I show up.

I could say "Hi Judy, thanks for having the BBQ. I know we tend to disagree but I am glad to meet you but am hopeful that we can build a bit of a rapport and try to resolve our differences. I love the BBQ, did you make the sauce yourself?"

Or I could say "Hi Judy, everything you think is wrong, and your BBQ sucks too."

Palmer is doing the equivalent of the latter. It is simply a question of manners.

[bherrera]

9. He is not a guest

Sorry, but he is not a guest. He is an ambassador. The Venezuelans are free not to accept the guy, but I think the political system in the USA will yield a guy with a similar statement. if Chavez doesn't like it, then he should think about not insulting the USA all the time. It is a simple thing to do.

[naaman fletcher]

10. hmm

If the Venezuelans are free not to accept him, then I would argue that he is a guest. But even if you are correct, there is still no need for rude behavior.

[Bacchus39]

11. I think the Larry Palmer nomination was planned pretty well

I think the administration appointed him knowing he may very well not be accepted as is occurring. And if he were accepted his credentials are stellar. Acting ambassador Charge d'Affairs in Quito, full ambassador to Honduras, and current president of the governmental Inter-America Foundation.

the fact that he continues to serve as president of the IAF gives me more reason to conclude his nomination was well planned. if he is accepted then fine, he has the experience and gravitas certainly, and if not he continues to serve at apparently is even a more high ranking post.

even if the stage wasn't set this way, I'd still say he is the nominiee for representative of the Obama administration and his duty isn't to defend the adminstration of the country where he was appointed to serve, rather it is to represent the US position in bilateral relations.

[naaman fletcher]

12. Sure,

It is his duty to defend the US Admin, and not the Chavez admin. Note however in my example above on going to a BBQ, the actual political positions had nothing to do with it at all. It was simply an issue of politeness and such. I am not saying that Palmer should change any position that he has, he just shouldn't be so publicly confrontational before even assuming the position of trying to work with the VZ government.