MOSCOW, May 18. /TASS/. Russia’s State Duma (lower house of parliament) International Affairs Committee has endorsed Alexey Yerkhov, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Crisis Management Center, as Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, a well-informed source told TASS on Thursday.
"The nomination of head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Crisis Management Center as Russia’s Ambassador to Turkey was considered. The committee agreed with his appointment," the source said.
The position of the head of Russia’s diplomatic mission in Turkey became vacant after the assassination of Ambassador Andrey Karlov last December.
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According to the Russian Constitution and the regulations of the lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma’s international affairs committees "take part in consultations when appointing and recalling diplomatic representatives abroad and in international organizations." Proposals on the candidates are submitted by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
"The committee, at its meeting in the presence of a candidate to be appointed a diplomatic representative or a diplomatic representative who is supposed to be recalled and relevant officials representing the Russian Foreign Ministry, holds a discussion and after it makes a motivated conclusion. This conclusion is officially forwarded to the Russian president," reads Article 122 of the State Duma regulations.