ambassador ricciardone, i enjoyed our last conversation. some items have developed since we spoke and one is with reference to cyprus. the parties are engaged in pretty intense talks by the united nations secretary. i look at the developments and what has happened to the military in turkey which is part of the challenge of getting to a solution in cyprus and the look in this new development and wonder how that affects the possibility of making real progress. on the flip side are look at the prime minister's statements which said forget what we were negotiating in the past. this is the two state solution which is different from what by communal federation. and to multiplying in greater numbers or expect -- that doesn't seem to be in line with moving towards a solution. so can you give me an update on your perspective? since turkey is a key player as to whether or not we will be able to achieve a resolution to the division of cyprus. are those facts complicating? opportunities? how do you see that? >> i could do the document -- diplomatic thi

i want to welcome ambassador ricciardone who was a longtime foreign service officer. he's the former ambassador to egypt, the former ambassador to afghanistan and served previously in turkey and throughout the middle east. he speaks a number of languages including turkish and arabic and finally and most importantly he's a graduate of dartmouth college in new hampshire. so, again, congratulations to all of you on your nominations. and i appreciate your willingness to come before the committee. as i said, we're fortunate to have senator lugar who is the ranking member of this committee here with us this afternoon and i know he would like to make a statement. senator lugar. >> i'm very pleased to join you, madam chairman, in welcoming our nominees to three very important countries. and our relationships with these countries are excellent but we will have an opportunity to review events in each of the three as we welcome ambassador ricciardone, ambassador eisen and ambassador ford to this committee once again. turkey is underscoring its importance as an ally. in particula

so, ambassador ricciardone. >> madam chair, members of the committee. i am proud to be here before you today as president obama nominee, ambassador of turkey, having served in that capacity as a recessed appointee since the past january. i am glad of the president and ms. clinton. joining me is my partner, long before iran and everywhere. she's with me. our daughters were unable to join us. we all have family connections to turkey. maria studied and taught there as well. during my 33-year career in the foreign service, i had the pleasure and privilege of having served in turkey previously three times. and through this period i've observed turkey's continuing transformation into a more democratic and more open and more economically vibrant modern state and as a player with growing influence on the world stage. throughout this change and development has been one constant and that's been turkey's continued partnership with the united states and the nato alliance. it's part of the g-20 and has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. noting turkey

i want to thank ambassador's eisen, ricciardone and ford. you all served with conviction and you can continue in the strong stone leadership roles. assay for the second panel, so i do commend ambassador ford for demonstrating real leadership resolve in the face of difficult circumstance and syria by the personally going to a meeting with demonstrators and protesters in difficult circumstances and in advocating for values and interests of the nation. i hope it is clear that many in the body share secretary clinton statement that president assad has lost legitimacy about to pass forward in syria. as a release to turkey, and turned by recent events about with this weekend's resignation but military leadership really means, about tension between the secular military traditions and foundations in the modern turkish state increasingly islamist tendencies that some in the current administration, and very concerned about turkish relationships with israel. to ambassador ricciardone, you've chosen a particularly interesting poster to turn to ask quest

i am often in touch with my colleague, ambassador ricciardone. the turks have a very deep relationship that they have been building up for years. they wanted to build. i think it is fair to say that the turks even yesterday when the president was very critical of the latest measures -- the turks have perhaps a unique capability, both to talk to the syrians on several levels because they have built those contacts, and also were they to adopt sanction, for example, i think those two would bite. >> that is something i hope we can continue to foster because of that help in the region could be very significant. i was in the region last july 2010, and one of -- our second to last stop was in beirut in lebanon. i could sense that they have a presence of hezbollah in lebanon. i went to get your sense about the implications -- i want to get your sense about the implications and unrest and applications for lip and on and how it has responded -- and applications of lebanon and how it has responded. >> when i appeared before the foreign relations committee i

i want to welcome ambassador ricciardone, a longtime distinguished officer. the former deputy ambassador to afghanistan and has served previously in turkey and around the middle east. he speaks a number of languages including turkish and arabic. most importantly from my perspective, he is a graduate of dartmouth in new hampshire. again, congratulations to all of you on your nominations, and i appreciate your willingness to come before the committee. as i said, we are fortunate to have senator dick lugar here with us. i know that he would like to make a statement. >> we will have an opportunity to review the events in these countries as we welcome ambassador ricciardone, embassador -- ambassador eisin, and ford. in particular, i hope that ambassador ricciardone's perspective on the effect that this will have on political stability will be a part of our discussion. moreover, i am interested to hear more about the dynamics relating to the upheaval in syria. the expanding turkish participation in diplomacy and its ongoing role in the creation of a southern energy

as i said, we are going to begin the panel with ambassadors francis ricciardone and norman eisen and hearing the opening statement from ambassador ford and saving his question and answer period for the second panel. i'll ask you if you could begin, mr. eisen, and, again feel free to introduce family and friends who are here with you. >> madam chair, senator lugar, senator coons, member of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to be here again in connection with my nomination by president obama to continue serving as the united states ambassador to the czech republic. i am honored to have the confidence and trust of the president, of secretary clinton in representing our country. since you asked, i would like to introduce my wife, lindsay, associate professor of english at georgetown university, and our daughter, tomar, and representing the united states in prague is a family effort, and i believe the czech people have come to appreciate my family as much as i do. well, almost as much as i do. when i was last before the committee, i reflected upon my extraordinary good four cha

and i'm often in touch with my colleague ambassador ricciardone up in ankara. the turks have a very deep court date commercial relationship that they've been building up for years. they had personal relations between the turkish relationship is searan relationship that they wanted to fostered and build. i think the turks even yesterday, i'm sorry, president wool is very critical of the latest syrian measures. the turks have perhaps a unique capability both to talk to the syrians at several levels because over the years they've built those contacts and also were they to adopt sanctions, for example, i think those two would bite. >> that's something i hope we can continue to foster because that kind of help in the region could be very significant. i was in the region last -- in july of 2010. and one of our second to last stop was in beirut and lebanon. and i could -- i could sense almost feel the heavy presence of hezbollah in lebanon. and i wanted to get your sense about the implications of the unrest and the violence in syria, the implications for lebanon. and