| Author (Person) | Beatty, Andrew |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.11, No.29, 28.7.05 |
| Publication Date | 28/07/2005 |
| Content Type | News |
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By Andrew Beatty Date: 28/07/05 The White House this week (26 July) named C. Boyden Gray, a stalwart Republican, as its nominee to become the next US ambassador to the European Union. A former White House counsel for president George H. W. Bush, he is currently a partner in international law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr. He is a close Bush family ally and is widely cited as a key campaigner in pushing George W. Bush's judicial nominations through Congress. Before he can take over from Rockwell Schnabel, who stepped down last month, Gray's nomination as ambassador will have to be approved by the US Senate. According to one commentator at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, Democrats are unlikely to oppose his appointment ahead of the battle that is heating up to appoint a new judge to the US Supreme Court. Observers say little is known publicly about his foreign policy stance and much of his political lobbying has focused on traditional Republican issues such as limiting the role of central government and cutting back red tape. Earlier this year, in an article for the Washington Times, he berated the EU's "Kafkaesque" bureaucracy for placing "excessive sanctions" on Microsoft and for European regulators' decision to block MCI/Worldcom's bid for telecommunications firm Sprint. But according to John K. Glenn, the director of foreign policy at the Washington-based German Marshall Fund, the appointment of a close Bush ally, who on paper does not share traditional European values, echoes the appointment of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "Initially people were concerned but in the end they realised that it was a strong appointment as she had the president's ear," he said. According to Glenn, the appointment is a continuation of the Bush administration's determination in its second term to improve ties with the EU. "He is a heavy-hitter. I would distinguish this from an ambassadorship made as a gesture to party fundraisers. He is part of the GOP [Grand Old Party] establishment. "This is not a reward. [Ambassador to the EU] is not a pushy benefit job anymore," he said. The White House on 26 July 2005 named C. Boyden Gray, a close ally of President George W. Bush, as its nominee to become the next US ambassador to the European Union. The appointment was subject to approval by the US Senate. |
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| Source Link | Link to Main Source http://www.european-voice.com/ |
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| Countries / Regions | Europe, United States |
