Senate panel OKs Kerry nomination

WASHINGTON (PAN): Senator John Kerry was confirmed as secretary of state by a key Senate committee on Tuesday, paving the way for him replacing Hillary Clinton as a top American diplomat.

The confirmation of Kerry, 69, was approved unanimously by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. A Vietnam war veteran, he has been a member of the panel since 1985 and chairman for the last four years.

“You’re going to be an incredible secretary of state,” the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Robert Menendez said, addressing Kerry.

In response, the incoming secretary said: “Thank you all, very much. I’m honoured beyond words,’’ Kerry said, adding that he was expected to deliver a final speech in the US Senate on Wednesday.

Congratulating Kerry on his confirmation, Pakistan Ambassador Sherry Rehman said Islamabad looked forward to working with him. “I extend our sincerest congratulations to Senator Kerry on his confirmation as secretary of state. We all look forward to working with him and his team at a time of challenging transitions for the region.”

It was in December that Kerry was nominated by President Barack Obama, who termed him as the perfect choice for this post. “I think it’s fair to say that few individuals know as many presidents and prime ministers, or grasp our foreign policies as firmly as John Kerry,” Obama said announcing his nomination.

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