Tag Archives: Greta Christine Holtz

Open Season: This Year’s July 4th Independence Day Celebrations Officially On

March 27, 2014 By in Ambassadors, Diplomatic Life, Foreign Service, Holidays and Celebrations, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , , , ,

— Domani Spero

Actually no, the season officially opened last month when U.S. Embassy Kathmandu celebrated the 238th Anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America on February 22, 2014. Nepal’s Vice President Paramananda Jha was the main guest at the event.  According to Ambassador Peter W. Bodde’s prepared speech, this was the second year the embassy celebrated July 4th early “in the hopes of escaping monsoon weather.”  Also, they chose this week “because in February we honor the birthdays of two of our great presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.” Eleven members of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force Band based in Okinawa, Japan entertained the guests at the chief of mission residence. More photos are available here.

Photo via US Embassy Nepal

Photo via US Embassy Nepal

Photo via US Embassy Nepal February 21, 2014

Photo via US Embassy Nepal
February 21, 2014

 

So, US Embassy Nepal had officially bumped off US Embassy Muscat for the first July 4th celebration of 2014.  On March 25, 2014, the US Embassy in Oman hosted its 238th Independence Day event.  According to ONA, Greta Christine Holtz, the US ambassador to the Sultanate gave a speech during which she affirmed the deep-rooted relations binding Omanis and Americans.  In 2013, the embassy celebrated July 4th on May 24. More photos available here. In 2012, we did, Chew on This: US Embassy Oman Celebrates 4th of July (in February) with Fast Food Sponsors.  It looks like they no longer display prominently the event’s corporate sponsors.

Photo via US Embassy Muscat

Photo via US Embassy Muscat

 

This year, we hope to do a Fourth of July fashion or food round-up.  Give us a heads up if you have something interesting at post.

 

 

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Confirmations: Cunningham, Cretz, Malac, Armbruster, Wharton, Holtz, Laskaris, Ries, Koenig, Kirby

August 2, 2012 By in Af/Pak, Ambassadors, Confirmations, Congress, Nominations Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

On August 2nd, the United States Senate confirmed the following ambassadorial nominees:

PN1826 – James B. Cunningham, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Executive Calendar #858 Gene Allan Cretz, of New York, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Ghana.

Executive Calendar #859 Deborah Ruth Malac, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Liberia.

Executive Calendar #860 Thomas Hart Armbruster, of New York, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Executive Calendar #861 David Bruce Wharton, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Zimbabwe.

Executive Calendar #862 Greta Christine Holtz, of Maryland, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Sultanate of Oman.

Executive Calendar #863 Alexander Mark Laskaris, of Maryland, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Guinea.

Executive Calendar #864 Marcie B. Ries, of the District of Columbia to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Bulgaria.

Executive Calendar #865 John M. Koenig, of Washington, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Cyprus.

Executive Calendar #866 Michael David Kirby, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Serbia.

That leaves Carlos Pascual, of the District of Columbia, nominated to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Energy Resources) as the only State Department nominee stuck in the Senate.  This nomination has been on the Executive Calendar since March 2012.  We are guessing that there is a senate hold on this but cannot find the tale of that hold as of this writing.

Also, the nominee for US Ambassador to Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Olson had his SFRC hearing on July 31st but it does not look like his nomination made it out of committee.

The Senate will have pro forma sessions starting Friday, August 3rd until Friday, September 7th and reconvenes on September 10 at 2:00 p.m.

Domani Spero

SFRC Clears Cretz, Malac, Wharton, Laskaris, Ries, Koenig, Kirby, Armbruster, Holtz

July 26, 2012 By in Ambassadors, Congress, Media, New Word, SFRC Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

The Hill reports that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) on Thursday unanimously approved the following nominees for ambassadorships, setting up their possible approval by the full Senate before the August recess.

  • The Honorable Gene Allan Cretz, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Ghana
  • Ms. Deborah Ruth Malac, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Liberia
  • Mr. David Bruce Wharton, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe
  • Mr. Alexander Mark Laskaris, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea
  • The Honorable Marcie B. Ries, of the District of Columbia, to be an Ambassador to the Republic of Bulgaria
  • Mr. John M. Koenig, of Washington, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Cyprus
  • The Honorable Michael David Kirby, of Virginia, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia
  • Mr. Thomas Hart Armbruster, of New York, to be Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall Islands
  • Ms. Greta Christine Holtz, of Maryland, to be Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman

The nine nominees will now join Carlos Pascual in the wait for the confirmation of the full senate. Mr. Pascual who was nominated to be the State Department’s first Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources was cleared by the SFRC in March 2012.

Domani Spero