The Washington Diplomat

Appointments, August 2002

Australia

• Peter Baxter assumed the position of deputy chief of mission on Aug. 5, replacing Meg McDonald who departed the post on July 13.

Czech Republic

• Vratislav Janda assumed the position of minister-counselor and deputy chief of mission on June 26, replacing Antonin Hradilek who departed the post on June 25. Janda previously served as deputy director of the Security Policy Department at the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2000-2002) and as chargé d’affaires at the Czech Embassy in Iran (1997), Jordan (1996) and Yemen (1995).

Gambia

• Essa Bokarr Sey became ambassador of Gambia to the United States in August. He previously served as ambassador to China (2001-2002) and ambassador to France with concurrent accreditation to the Hellenic Republic, Hungary, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain and Switzerland (1999-2001). From 1998 to 1999, Ambassador Sey was posted to the Gambian Permanent Mission to the United Nations as counselor, and he was posted to the Gambian Embassy in France as counselor in 1997 and as chargé d’affaires from 1996 to 1997. Ambassador Sey also served in the Gendamerie (now the Gambia National Army) and was honorably discharged in 1990 with the rank of sergeant. He earned a higher teaching certificate from the Gambia College and various other certificates in diplomacy, pedagogue and linguistics. Ambassador Sey is fluent in English and French, and proficient in Arabic. He is married with four children.

Georgia

• Levan Mikeladze became ambassador of Georgia to the United States on July 30. He holds concurrent accreditation to Canada and Mexico. Ambassador Mikeladze previously served as ambassador to Aus tria and head of the Georgian Permanent Mission to the International Organisations in Vienna from 1996 to 2002. He also held posts as the political affairs counselor at the Georgian Embassy in the United States (1995-1996), state adviser for the Georgian head of state (1992-1995), head of the European Department at the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1992), and scientific secretary at the Presidium of the Academy of Science in Georgia (1989-1992). Ambassador Mikeladze graduated from the Faculty of Economic and Social Geography at the State University of Tbilisi in 1978. He has also completed doctoral work in economic and social geography at the U.S.S.R. Academy of Science, Institute of Geography in Moscow, and was a Fulbright Scholar at the Center for International Security and Arms Control at Stanford University in 1994. Ambassador Mikeladze speaks English, Persian and Russian and is married with two children.

Greece

• George Savvaides became ambassador of Greece to the United States on July 30. He previously served as the secretary-general of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the past two years and as ambassador to NATO from 1996 to 2000. Ambassador Savvaides joined the Foreign Ministry in 1972, serving as political adviser (1983-1987) and defense adviser (1987-1991) at Greece’s Permanent Delegation to NATO in Brussels and director of the departments of Turkey and Cyprus at the Foreign Ministry (1991-1996). Ambassador Savvaides studied law and economics at Athens University and earned a master’s degree from Harvard University Law School.

Iceland

• Audunn Atlason assumed the position of counselor on July 11, replacing Fridrik Jonsson who departed the post on July 11.

Nicaragua

• Carlos J. Ulvert Sanchez became ambassador of Nicaragua to the United States on June 19. For 20 years (1981-2001), he was the managing director and international reinsurance intermediary at Ulvert & Co. Inc. in Florida. Ambassador Ulvert also worked as a partner and management consultant at Consultores Financieros, SA in Guatemala (1979-1980), deputy director of the Banking and Development Finance Program at the Instituto Centro Americano de Administracion de Empresas in Nicaragua (1978-1979), as well as various other posts within the Central Bank of Nicaragua from 1969 to 1978. Ambassador Ulvert speaks English, French and Spanish and is married with two children.

Ukraine

• Cmdr. Sergiy Hyshtymult assumed the position of naval attaché on July 21, replacing Sergiy Nechypozenko who departed the post on July 21.

Uruguay

• Ricardo Nario assumed the position of minister-counselor and deputy chief of mission in June. Nario previously served as deputy director general for integration and Mercosur (2000-2002) and deputy chief of mission at the Uruguayan Embassy in Brazil (1995-2000).