EUR/DAS Matt Palmer as Special Rep For Western Balkans, US Amb to Germany Ric Grenell Dual-Hatted For Serbia-Kosovo

October 7, 2019 By in Ambassadors, Appointments, EUR|Europe, FSOs, Mike Pompeo, Political Appointees, Realities of the FS, Secretary of State, Special Envoys and Reps, State Department, Trends, Trump, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , , ,

 

On August 30, 2019, Pompeo appointed career diplomat Matthew Palmer’s as Special Representative for the Western Balkans. 

The Secretary of State has appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Palmer as his Special Representative for the Western Balkans.  In this role, Palmer will lead our efforts to strengthen U.S. diplomatic engagement in support of peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and focus on integration of the Western Balkan countries into Western institutions.

As Special Representative, Palmer will travel to Slovenia beginning on September 1 to attend the Bled Strategic Forum.  He will also represent the United States at the Quint Balkan Directors meeting in Brussels and attend meetings in Vienna and Podgorica, September 4-10.

In addition to serving as the Secretary’s Special Representative, Palmer will continue to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, a position he has held since 2018.  Previously, he was Director of the Office of South Central Europe.

October 3, 2019, Trump announced his intent to appoint Richard Grenell  to serve concurrently as U.S. Ambassador to Germany and as Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations:

Richard A. Grenell has served as the United States Ambassador to Germany since May 8, 2018.  Mr. Grenell, a foreign policy writer and commentator, founded the international consulting firm Capitol Media Partners in 2010. For nearly two decades, he has served as the primary communications adviser for public officials at the Federal, State, local, and international levels, as well as for a Fortune 200 ranked company.  Mr. Grenell is the longest serving United States spokesman at the United Nations (2001-2008) having served four United States Ambassadors.  He earned a B.A. from Evangel University and an MPA from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.