Media: Tillerson abolished the office of the state Department responsible for sanctions
WASHINGTON, 27 Oct. /TASS/. U.S. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson abolished the office of coordinator of sanctions policy, who was included in the structure of the state Department. On Thursday announced the publication Foreign Policy, citing former diplomats and congressional sources.
Traditionally, this body was headed by an experienced diplomat of high rank, there were five people. Now, according to the publication, coordinate-related sanctions work within the foreign Ministry and other government agencies will be the first Deputy Director of the division of policy planning David Tessler.
Foreign Policy notes that the decision on these shifts was taken after the present US administration does not have time to October 1 “to apply new punitive measures against Russia, approved by Congress in August.” Until February of 2017 the office of coordinator of sanctions policy of the Department of state took Daniel fried.
The American newspaper Politico, in turn, notes that Tillerson in their work when making decisions often relies on Department of policy planning, led by Brian Hook. In the post, he was not supposed to go through the process of consideration of his candidacy in the U.S. Senate. The paper argues that state Department aides Tillerson get more powers, while career diplomats play a less prominent role.
In the Department of state TASS has not yet confirmed this information.