President Joe Biden's pick for new US Ambassador to Greece, Greek American businessman George Tsunis has been mocked by the political establishment reports the Guardian.
Tsunis has caused dismay among diplomatic circles as he is remembered as the disastrous Obama appointee for the position of US Ambassador to Norway, who withdrew after making a mess of his confirmation hearing at a Senate foreign relations committee displaying ignorance of Norway and its political system including referring to the country as having a president when, as a constitutional monarchy, it does not.
According to Brett Bruen, a global engagement director of the Obama White House writes the Guardian , "the notion that he gets a second chance just utterly shocks me because in serious circles of international affairs he’s a punchline.
“Tsunis is likely the worst nominee that Biden has put forward and there’s some stiff competition because Biden has ignored the advice and the concerns of those with diplomatic experience, saying now is not the time to be doling out party favours to your donors.
“We need to have serious seasoned leadership in our embassies overseas. The whole nomination process reeks of backroom deals and favour trading but this is what Biden said he was going to clean up.”
Meanwhile, the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations convened on Wednesday for the hearing of the candidacy of Greek-American businessman George Tsounis as US ambassador to Greece.
Addressing Tsounis, Committe Chairman Bob Menendez said that if his proposed appointment is ratified, he will inherit the strongest Greek-American relations in history.
Menendez told Tsounis that "you know Greece and the region's dynamics well" and expressed his confidence in Tsounis' abilities to take Greek-US relations into the new era.
