Laurence Pope has arrived in Tripoli as U.S. Chargé d’ Affairs to Libya. The US State Department issued the following statement:
Mr. Pope’s selection as Chargé d’ Affairs emphasizes the commitment of the United States to the relationship between our two countries and to the people of Libya as they move forward in their transition to a democratic government.
We will continue to assist as Libya builds democratic institutions and broad respect for the rule of law - the goals that Ambassador Stevens worked hard to achieve.
Chargé Pope looks forward to working with the Libyan Government and the Libyan people during this historic and challenging time, as we build strong economic, social, political, and educational bridges between our two people.
Pope served as a Foreign Service Officer from 1969-2000, retiring at the rank of Minister Counselor after having held a number of senior posts in the Department of State. He was the Director for Northern Gulf Affairs 1987–1990, Associate Director for Counter-Terrorism 1991–1993, U.S. Ambassador to Chad 1993–1996, and Political Advisor to the Commander-in-Chief of United States Central Command 1997–2000.
In 2000, President Clinton nominated him as Ambassador to Kuwait.Laurence Pope retired from the U.S. Foreign Service on October 2, 2000 after 31 years of service. He continues to consult with various institutions and is a respected author.
A graduate of Bowdoin College, Chargé Pope also had advanced studies at Princeton University and is a graduate of the U.S. Department of State Senior Seminar, and is a Senior Fellow at the Armed Forces Staff College. He speaks Arabic and French, and resides in Portland, Maine.
(Source: US State Department)
