Daily Times

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has announced his intent to nominate US Ambassador to Turkey to the post in Afghanistan.

“John Bass has spent much of the past decade supporting Federal Government efforts to mobilise allies and marshal resources to combat terrorism and instability in Iraq, Syria, and Southwest Asia,” according to a White House statement.

Bass, who was nominated by the Obama administration, has been in the American envoy in Ankara since 2014 and needs Senate approval for his Afghanistan reassignment. He previously served as the ambassador to Georgia from 2009 to 2012.

He has served at six US missions overseas and in senior leadership positions at the State Department of State. In May, Bass was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Turkey said that for what it called “aggressive and unprofessional actions” following a clash between US security personnel and Turkish bodyguards in Washington during a visit from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Bass was given a written and verbal protest for the treatment of two security officers for being contrary to diplomatic rules and practices. The move appeared to be in retaliation for calls in the United States for action against the Turkish security officers. Bass’ nomination needs to be confirmed by the US Senate.