Blake approved as US pointsman for South Asia

Washington, May 21 (IANS) A US Senate Committee has approved the nomination of Robert Blake, currently the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, as Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs.

President Barack Obama nominated Blake, a career diplomat who has also served as the deputy chief of US mission in New Delhi from 2003 to 2006, in April.

Since there was no opposition Blake's nomination was approved without a debate. The nomination now goes to the full house.

If approved by the US Senate, Blake would replace Richard Boucher, who is currently Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs.

Like the communique issued by the White House, the approval hearing also did not mention Central Asia being part of his portfolio, indicating that perhaps the Obama administration wants to separate the two regions, joined by the Bush administration.

Blake entered the US Foreign Service in 1985, serving at the US embassies in Tunisia, Algeria, Nigeria and Egypt. He also has held a number of positions at the State Department in Washington.