U.S. President Barack Obama is to nominate Richard Morningstar as ambassador to Azerbaijan.
Morningstar is the secretary of state's special envoy for Eurasian energy.
He also served as U.S. ambassador to the European Union between 1999 and 2001.
Morningstar would replace Mathew Bryza, who left the post in January after serving about a year as a special appointment of Obama.
Bryza's nomination was never confirmed by the U.S. Senate due to opposition by Armenian-American lobbying groups and several senators, who accused Bryza of having a pro-Azerbaijani bias and questionable ties to Azerbaijani officials.
Morningstar is the secretary of state's special envoy for Eurasian energy.
He also served as U.S. ambassador to the European Union between 1999 and 2001.
Morningstar would replace Mathew Bryza, who left the post in January after serving about a year as a special appointment of Obama.
Bryza's nomination was never confirmed by the U.S. Senate due to opposition by Armenian-American lobbying groups and several senators, who accused Bryza of having a pro-Azerbaijani bias and questionable ties to Azerbaijani officials.