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Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
THE FUTURE OF THE OSCE
BIOGRAPHIES OF PANELISTS
SPEAKERS
Ambassador Jan Kubiš, OSCE Secretary General
Ambassador Kubiš, a career diplomat, has served
as the Secretary General of the OSCE since June 1999.
From July 1994 to July 1998, he was the Director of the
Conflict Prevention Center at the OSCE Secretariat, overseeing
OSCE operations and Missions in the field. Under the 1992
Czechoslovak Chairmanship of the Conference on Security
and Cooperation in Europe (now the OSCE), Ambassador Kubiš
was Chairman of the Committee of Senior Officials (now
the Permanent Council). From January 1993 to June 1994,
Ambassador Kubiš was the Permanent Representative
of the Slovak Republic at the United Nations Office in
Geneva.
Kim Traavik, Deputy Foreign Minister of Norway
Mr. Traavik was appointed State Secretary in the Norwegian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in October 2001. Prior to
that he chaired the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe's
Working Table on Security Issues in addition to serving
as Director General of the Ministry's Department for European
Policy. From 1997 to 1999, Mr. Traavik served as Ambassador
and Coordinator of the Norwegian OSCE Chairmanship. Mr.
Traavik has also served in Norway's Missions to NATO,
the United Nations and the European Union.
Ambassador Steve Minikes, U.S. Representative to the
OSCE
Ambassador Minikes has been U.S. Representative to the
OSCE since December 2001. Prior to his appointment as
Ambassador, Mr. Minikes was a partner in the Washington,
D.C. office of Thelen Reid and Priest LLP. Mr. Minikes
has also served in the U.S. Defense Department and as
senior vice-president of the U.S. Export-Import Bank.
COMMENTATORS
Ambassador Knut Vollebæk, Norwegian Ambassador
to the U.S. and former OSCE Chairman in Office
Ambassador Vollebæk was appointed Ambassador to
the United States in March 2001. He is a former Norwegian
Foreign Minister and he served as OSCE Chairman in Office
in 1999. As Chairman in Office, Ambassador Vollebæk
played a key negotiating role during the War in Kosovo.
He previously served in New Delhi, Madrid and Harare and
as Ambassador to Costa Rica.
Ambassador Adam Kobieracki, Director of the Security
Policy Department, Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and former Chairman of the OSCE Permanent Council
Ambassador Kobieracki has been Director of the Security
Policy Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since
April 2001. A career diplomat, Ambassador Kobieracki chaired
the OSCE Permanent Council during the Polish OSCE Chairmanship
of 1998. Ambassador Kobieracki joined the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in 1982 and has served in a variety of
high-level roles in the Polish Mission to the United Nations
and the OSCE in Vienna.
Ambassador David Johnson, Coordinator of U.S. Assistance
to Afghanistan and former U.S. Permanent Representative
to the OSCE
Ambassador Johnson was appointed as the Afghan Coordinator
in May 2002. Ambassador Johnson is responsible for overseeing
all aspects of United States policy toward Afghanistan.
Prior to that appointment he served as Ambassador to the
OSCE from January 1998 to December 2001. Ambassador Johnson
was also a member of the U.S. Delegation to the Vienna
Follow-up meeting of the CSCE from 1986-1987.
MODERATOR
Ambassador Robert L. Barry, BASIC Board Member and
former OSCE Head of Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ambassador Barry is currently a senior associate with the
Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington,
and has had a long career with the U.S. government in European
affairs and arms control. Ambassador Barry headed the OSCE
Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina from January 1998 to June
2001. He also served as ambassador to Bulgaria and Indonesia.
He was Deputy Director of the Voice of America and ambassador
to the Stockholm Conference on Disarmament in Europe.
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OSCE - brief summary of panel discussion
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