Appointments (October, 2001) Bahrain • Khalifa Ali Al-Khalifa became ambassador of Bahrain to the United States in July 2001, previously serving as the defense attaché from March 1994 and deputy commander of the Bahrain Amiri Air Force. Ambassador Al-Khalifa joined the Bahrain Defense Force in 1976, graduated from the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham, England, with an honors degree in aeronautical engineering in 1979 and received his master’s of science degree in the same field from Southampton University, England, in 1981. He is married with four children. Bolivia • Alberto Valdes became the minister counselor on Oct. 3. Valdes previously served as general manager of Banca Mercantil (2000-2001) and vice minister of the Ministry of Finance in Bolivia (1998-2000). Czech Republic • Martin Palous, the newly appointed ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United States, presented his credentials to President Bush on Oct. 10. Palous joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Czechoslovakia as an adviser and then as deputy minister of Foreign Affairs from 1990 to 1992. Ambassador Palous has also held a number of teaching positions at Charles University in Prague, where he earned a doctor of natural sciences in chemistry degree in 1973. • Eduard Metela assumed the post of cultural counselor on Sept. 21, replacing Ivan Dubovicky, who departed Washington on Sept. 28. Metela previously served as deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Australia. Dominican Republic • José Blanco assumed the post of first secretary on Aug. 21, replacing Rosa Giraldez who departed Washington on March 25. Finland • Jukka Robert Valtasaari (see photo) became ambassador of Finland to the United States on Oct. 10. Ambassador Valtasaari has held various posts in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs including director of the Office of Arms Control and Security Policy (1983), ambassador and deputy director general for political affairs (1985), director general for foreign trade affairs (1988) and secretary of state at the ministry in Helsinki (1996). He has also served as ambassador of Finland to the United States on a previous occasion in 1988. Ambassador Valtasaari holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of Helsinki and was a fellow at Harvard University from 1976 to 1977. • Kristiina Helenius (see photo) became press counselor on Sept. 4, replacing Jarmo Makela. Helenius worked as an anchorwoman, correspondent and reporter for TV news programs in Finland from 1994 to 1999, recently coming to the United States from Brussels where she covered European Union affairs for the past two years. Guatemala • George De La Roche assumed the position of consul on Sept. 27, replacing Jose Briz who departed Washington on Sept. 7. De La Roche also served as first secretary and consul in Poland for four years and first secretary and consul for the Netherlands for one year. Hungary • Peter Horvath assumed the position of commercial counselor on Aug. 1, replacing Pal Kertesz who departed Washington on Aug. 1. Kuwait • Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (see photo) became ambassador of Kuwait to the United States in June 2001. Ambassador Al-Sabah has also been the ambassador of Kuwait to Korea (1998), minister plenipotentiary (1998) and first secretary to the Permanent Mission of the State of Kuwait to the United Nations, New York (1997-1998). He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. He also speaks Arabic, English and French. Mongolia • Bayar Batzorig assumed the position of defense attaché on Sept. 1, replacing Godnom Batbold who departed Washington on Sept. 1. Before assuming his current post, Batzorig served as deputy director of an information and research agency and senior officer at the Foreign Relations Department. • T. Janbaldorj assumed the position of minister counselor on Sept. 1, replacing N. Tubga who departed Washington on Sept. 5. Some of Janbaldorj’s other posts include vice director of the Department of Europe and vice director of the Department of Information at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. • Adiya Tsend assumed the post of economic and commercial counselor on Sept. 10, replacing Bavuusuren Bayasgalan who departed Washington on Jan. 1. Tsend served as adviser to the prime minister of Mongolia and director of the Institute of Administration and Management Development in Mongolia. Myanmar • Win Win May assumed the position of attaché on May 27, replacing Tin Mya Win who departed Washington on May 15. St. Kitts and Nevis • Izben Cordinal Williams (see photo) became ambassador of St. Kitts and Nevis to the United States and the Organization of American States in July 2001. Professionally trained in family medicine and psychiatry, he has served as consultant psychiatrist to several East Caribbean governments in addition to running a private practice in St. Kitts and Nevis. Ambassador Williams also has many business interests in his homeland, including being a principal partner of a condominium hotel resort and founder of a community development agency called Outreach Foundation. He is married with two sons. Syria • Randa Abdul Hay assumed the position of first secretary of cultural affairs on Sept. 21. She previously served as first secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Syria and second secretary at the Embassy of Syria in France.