The Washington Diplomat

Appointments - December 2005

Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Bisera Turkovic became of ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United States on Oct. 3. She holds concurrent accreditation as the permanent observer of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Organization of American States in Washington. Before her current appointment, Ambassador Turkovic served as her country’s permanent representative to the United Nations Office in Vienna, as well as ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna. In addition, Ambassador Turkovic served as executive director of the Centre for Security Studies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a lecturer of criminal justice at the University of Sarajevo (2001-04), and minister of European integration for Bosnia and Herzegovina (2000-01). She also served as ambassador to the OSCE from 1996 to 2000, as well as ambassador to Hungary (1994-96) and to Croatia (1993-94). Ambassador Turkovic holds a law degree from the University of Sarajevo and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration from the Philip Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. She completed her post-graduate studies in criminology from the University of LaTrobe in Melbourne, and she holds a doctorate in international relations from Pacific Western University in the United States.

• Darko Zelenika assumed the position of deputy chief of mission on Sept. 15, replacing Mirsada Colakovic, who departed the post in July. Zelenika previously served as deputy chief of mission in Germany (2002-05), chief of the Department for Neighbouring Countries in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2001-02), and deputy chief of mission (1998-2001) as well as a counselor (1996-98) at the Bosnian Embassy in Egypt.

Czech Republic
• Jaroslav Kurfurst assumed the position of deputy chief of mission, replacing Vratislav Janda.

Denmark
• Friis Arne Petersen became ambassador of Denmark to the United States on Oct. 3. In 1997, Ambassador Petersen became head of the Foreign Ministry, assuming the position of permanent secretary of state. Throughout his term (1997-2005), he was the alternate for the foreign minister in the European Union Council of Foreign Ministers. In 1994, Ambassador Petersen was appointed head of the Department of Relations with Russia, Eastern Europe and the Balkans as well as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). In 1995, he was promoted to undersecretary, responsible for European affairs and economic assistance to Russia and Central and Eastern Europe and for Denmark’s policies on EU and NATO enlargement. He served as Denmark’s trade representative in the EU trade policy committee from 1995 to 1997. In addition, Ambassador Petersen engaged in negotiations with the United States concerning Denmark’s contribution to the U.S. Missile Defense System, paving the way for the Igaliku agreement among Denmark, Greenland and the United States. In 2001, he embarked on an ambitious plan of modernizing the Foreign Service in its entirety. Ambassador Petersen has been a member of the board of the Denmark-America Foundation since 1997, he was the Danish co-chairman of the Danish-Russian Intergovernmental Council on Economic Cooperation (1997-2005), and he was on the board of the Danish International Investment Funds (1995-2000). He lectures regularly at Danish universities and has published a number of foreign policy articles. Ambassador Petersen, who entered the Danish Foreign Service in 1979, holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Copenhagen. He is married to Birgitte Wilhelmsen and has a son and two daughters.

Fiji
• Jesoni Vitusagavulu, or “Vitu” as he is commonly known, became ambassador of Fiji to the United States on Oct. 3. Before joining the Foreign Service, Ambassador Vitusagavulu worked in the private sector as managing director of TOPtier Management Consultancy, an investment and management consulting firm that he founded in 2003, during which time he also lectured at the University of the South Pacific on its MBA program. In addition, Ambassador Vitusagavulu was the chief executive of the Fiji Trade and Investment Bureau (1996-2003), and held senior management positions in Air Pacific, Fiji Development Bank, Unit Trust of Fiji, Suva Stock Exchange and Fijian Property Trust. He was also a trustee of the Fijians Trust Fund, a member of the Prime Minister’s Think Tank Advisory Group, director of Kadavu Development Co., as well as chairman of Food Processors (Fiji) Ltd., the Agricultural Marketing Authority and the Kontiki Growth Fund. Ambassador Vitusagavulu holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and politics from the University of the South Pacific, a master’s of philosophy degree in development studies from the University of Sussex, a diploma in airline management from the University of Bar Ilan Israel, and a graduate certificate in management from the Australian Graduate School of Management at the University of New South Wales. He is married to Silina and has three daughters.

Greece
• Alexandros P. Mallias became ambassador of Greece to the United States on Oct. 3. Ambassador Mallias previously served as chairman of the Coordinating Committee for the Greek EU presidency’s program for the Balkans (2002-03), director of the A3 South Eastern Europe (Balkan Affairs) Department (2000-present), national coordinator at the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe (2002-03), and ambassador to Albania (1999-2002). In 1995, he served as head of division for Bulgaria and Romania at the Department for Balkan Affairs, during which time he was appointed the first head of mission at the Liaison Office of the Hellenic Republic in Skopje. In addition, he served as head of the European Community Monitor Mission Regional Office in Sofia, deputy director of the Diplomatic Cabinet of the Foreign Minister, and first counselor for political affairs at the Greek Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York from 1989 to 1993. Ambassador Mallias was also involved with the Greek Delegation to the Charter of Paris for a New Europe (CSCE), serving as head of the delegation in 1990. From 1984 to 1986, he served with the Middle East Department, the General Inspection, the West Europe Department and the Cabinet of the Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry. In 1982, he was posted to the Greek Embassy in Tripoli, and two years later, promoted to first secretary. After joining the Foreign Service in 1976, he served as head of unit for the Council of Europe as an attaché and later as third secretary in the Department for International Organizations (1976-78), as well as deputy to the Greek permanent representative to the Council of Europe, where he was promoted to second secretary (1978-82). Ambassador Mallias holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Athens. During the dictatorship in Greece, he actively participated in the students’ movement for freedom and democracy. He also studied political science at the University of Geneva and holds a post-graduate certificate from the Institut des Hautes Etudes Europeennes. He speaks English, French, Slav-Macedonian (spoken) and Albanian (basic). Ambassador Mallias is married to Françoise-Anne Mallias, a child psychologist, and has two daughters: Leonora-Alexia, 26, the project manager for abused children in West Africa at the Geneva-based NGO “Terre des Hommes,” and Ariana-Carolina, 24, who is about to receive her bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Geneva-based University of Applied Sciences.

Honduras
• Norman Garcia Paz became ambassador of Honduras to the United States on Oct. 3. Ambassador Garcia previously served as minister of trade and industry (2002-05) and as executive president of the Foundation for Investment and Development of Exports (FIDE) from 1990 to 1998 and from 2000 to 2002, taking a leave to serve as minister of tourism from 1998 to 2000. In addition, he was general manager of Industria Hondureña de Televisión, a company that assembles television sets and stereos (1982-87), and promotion manager of the National Investment Corp. (1975-82), directing the department responsible for identifying investment opportunities and evaluating and following up on new projects. Ambassador Garcia also held posts as an industrial sector planner and chief of the Industrial Programming Department at the Council of Economic Planning, trouble shooter for the Zacarías Bendeck Consortium, sales coordinator of machinery and equipment for the Ingersoll-Rand y Allis Chalmer lines, and production manager of the Chemical Specialties Department at Químicas Dinant de C.A. Ambassador Garcia holds a degree in industrial engineering from the California State Polytechnic University, and in 1973, he pursued studies in the preparation and evaluation of industrial projects at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. He is married to Nancy Bonilla.

Ireland
• Orla O’Hanrahan assumed the position of political counselor on Sept. 5, replacing Dermot Brangan, who departed the post on Sept. 5. O’Hanrahan previously served as consul-general in Boston, Paris and London.

Republic of Macedonia
• Igor Dukoski assumed the position of second secretary.

• Oliver Krliu assumed the position of minister counselor, deputy chief of mission.

• Jakup Redzepi assumed the position of third secretary.

Peru
• Miguel Samanez assumed the position of first secretary in the Economic Department on June 1. Samanez previously served as chief of cabine t for the vice minister-general secretary (2004-05) and for the secretary of foreign policy (2003-04). He also served as chief of the Brazil Desk at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2001-02) and held postings in the Peruvian Mission to the European Union (1996-2001) and the Secretary of Administration (1994-96).

Saudi Arabia
• His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al-Faisal became ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the United States on Sept. 13. Prince Turki was appointed an adviser in the Saudi Royal Court in 1973. From 1977 to 2001, he served as the director general of the General Intelligence Directorate, the kingdom’s main foreign intelligence service. In 2002, he was appointed ambassador to the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Prince Turki is one of the founders of the King Faisal Foundation and is the chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh. He is also chairman of the board of the Prince Charles Visual Islamic and Traditional Arts Center as well as the co-chair of the C100 Group, which has been affiliated with the World Economic Forum since 2003. In 1963, he graduated from the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey and subsequently pursued an undergraduate degree at Georgetown University.

Sweden
• Gunnar Lund became ambassador of Sweden to the United States on Oct. 3. In 1999, Ambassador Lund was named Sweden’s ambassador to the European Union. He returned to Sweden in 2002 and was appointed minister and member of the Swedish Cabinet responsible for international economic and financial affairs as well as for public administration. Before that, Ambassador Lund served as deputy foreign minister (state secretary) for European affairs, helping to design Sweden’s policy during its first years in the European Union and serving as his country’s chief negotiator for the Amsterdam and Nice treaties. After the election in 1991, Ambassador Lund worked in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs as ambassador and negotiator on issues of defense and armaments as well as on Russian affairs. In the 1970s and 1980s, he pursued a career as a civil servant in the Swedish Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs. In 1988, Ambassador Lund was given his first political assignment when he was appointed deputy finance minister for budget, economic policy and international affairs. Ambassador Lund was trained in economics, political science and Russian at the universities of Uppsala and Stockholm. As a Fulbright scholar, he studied at Columbia University in New York, where he received a master’s degree in economics and international law. He is married to Kari Lotsberg, a financial consultant and former deputy minister, and has three children.