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<html> <head> <meta name="Generator" content="Corel WordPerfect 8"> <title> DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS</title> </head> <body text="#000000" link="#0000ff" vlink="#551a8b" alink="#ff0000" bgcolor="#c0c0c0"> August 16, 1999 (3:30 p.m. EDT) No. 180 DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today announced the following diplomatic appointments: Michael D. Bell becomes Ambassador to the State of Israel. Terence W. Colfer becomes Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Jacques Crête becomes High Commissioner to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. Allan Culham becomes Ambassador to the Republic of Guatemala, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of El Salvador. Jean-Marc Duval becomes Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Georgia and the Republic of Turkmenistan. Lucie Edwards becomes High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa. Samuel Hanson becomes Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Rodney Irwin becomes Ambassador to the Russian Federation, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Armenia. Philippe Kirsch becomes Ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden. Cécile Latour becomes Ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Normand Mailhot becomes Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia. Donald P. McLennan becomes Ambassador to the Republic of Poland. Marta Moszczenska becomes Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Slovenia. Bruno Picard becomes Ambassador to the Dominican Republic. David Preston becomes High Commissioner to the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Neil D. Reeder becomes High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam. Jacques Simard becomes Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia, with concurrent accreditation to the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Mary Simon becomes Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark. Ms. Simon will retain her responsibilities as Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs. Gerald R. Skinner becomes Ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan, with concurrent accreditation to the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan. Christopher Thomson becomes Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. James Wall becomes High Commissioner to the Republic of Zimbabwe, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Botswana. - 30 - Biographical notes on the appointees are attached. For further information, media representatives may contact: Debora Brown Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (613) 995-1851 Media Relations Office Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (613) 995-1874 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES Michael D. Bell (BA, Honours, University of Windsor, 1966; MA [Pol.Sci.], University of Windsor, 1967) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1967 and has served abroad in Kingston, Port of Spain, Tel Aviv and Rome. In 1987, he was named Canada's Ambassador to Jordan and from 1990 to 1992 was Ambassador to Israel. In 1994, Mr. Bell was appointed Ambassador to Egypt, a position in which he served until 1998. In Ottawa, he undertook a variety of assignments including Director, Middle East Relations Division, and Senior Advisor, Middle East Refugee Working Group. From 1992 to 1994, he was Director General, Central and Eastern Europe Bureau. Since 1998, Mr. Bell has been on assignment as a Fellow at the Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. He is married to Linda Bell and they have one daughter. Mr. Bell succeeds David Berger. Terence W. Colfer (BA [Pol.Sci.], Royal Military College, 1965) joined the Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce in 1969 as a Trade Commissioner, after serving for several years in Canada and the Middle East as an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces. He has served abroad in Rome, Dallas, Sydney, Detroit, and in Boston as Deputy Consul General and Senior Trade Commissioner from 1990 to 1994. In Ottawa, he undertook a variety of assignments, including Director, Overseas Division, from 1987 to 1988; Director, United States Trade and Tourism Development Division, from 1988 to 1990; and from 1994 to 1996, Director, South Asia Division. Since 1996, Mr. Colfer has been Ambassador to Kuwait. He is married to Lynn Colfer and they have three sons. Mr. Colfer succeeds Michel de Salaberry. Jacques Crête (BA, Université de Sherbrooke, 1966; BSc [Political Science], Université Laval, 1969; MA [Political Science], Université Laval, 1970) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1973 and has served abroad in Kinshasa, Athens, Buenos Aires, in Paris as Minister-Counsellor, and in Washington, at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the Organization of American States, as Minister-Counsellor. In Ottawa, Mr. Crête undertook assignments in the Defence Relations and Western Europe Relations Divisions and served twice in the Federal-Provincial Relations Division. Since 1996, he has been Director, West and Central Africa Division. He is married to Nicole Dumouchel and they have a son. Mr. Crête succeeds Alan Bowker. Allan Culham (BA [Economics], Queen's University, 1973; MA [Economics], University of Western Ontario, 1974) joined the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in 1981, after a number of years engaged in development work in Botswana, and became a Foreign Service Officer in 1988. He has served abroad in Dar-es-Salaam and Jakarta. In Ottawa, he undertook several assignments at CIDA and served as Director, Corporate Information Division, from 1991 to 1992. At the Department of Foreign Affairs, he was Director, Energy and Nuclear Affairs Division, from 1992 to 1996. Since 1996, he has served as Minister-Counsellor at the Canadian Embassy in Mexico City. He is married to Mary Culham and they have two children. Mr. Culham succeeds Daniel Livermore. Jean-Marc Duval (BComm, Université de Montréal, 1973; MSc [International Affairs], University of British Columbia, 1974) joined the Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce in 1974 as a Trade Commissioner and has served abroad in Athens, Bonn, Brussels, Dakar and Bern. He attended the Collège d'Europe in Bruges, Belgium, from 1977 to 1978. In Ottawa, Mr. Duval undertook assignments in the South and Southeast Asia Divisions and in the East Asia Trade Development Division. From 1993 to 1994, he served as Director of Personnel-Trade Commissioners and from 1994 to 1997 was Director of the Trade/Political Personnel Division. Since 1997, he has been Director General, European Union, North and West Europe Bureau. Mr. Duval is married to Louise Aubin and they have a daughter. Mr. Duval succeeds Michael Mace. Lucie Edwards (BA, Honours), Trent University, 1976; MPA, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 1984) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1976 and has served abroad in Tel Aviv, Pretoria and in Nairobi, where she was High Commissioner to Kenya from 1993 to 1995. In Ottawa, Ms. Edwards undertook assignments in the Commercial Policy, Economic Relations with Developing Countries, Middle East, and Resource Management Divisions. From 1989 to 1992, Ms. Edwards was Chairperson of the Southern Africa Task Force, and from 1992 to 1993, she served as Director of the Middle East Relations Division. From 1995 to 1996, she was Director General of the Global Issues Bureau. Since 1996, Ms. Edwards has been Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services. She is married to Thomas Roach. Ms. Edwards replaces James Bartleman. Samuel Hanson (BA, University of Calgary, 1973; MA, University of Birmingham, 1974) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1974 and has served abroad in Brussels (NATO), Belgrade, Dar-es-Salaam, Windhoek (Namibia), where he was Acting High Commissioner in 1990, and Zagreb, where he served as Special Representative from 1990 to 1992. In Ottawa, he undertook assignments in the Intelligence Analysis, Intelligence Services, and United Nations Divisions. In 1998, he became Deputy Director, Resources Management Division, and recently he joined the Kosovo Task Force. Mr. Hanson replaces Serge Marcoux. Rodney Irwin (BA, Honours, University of British Columbia, 1969; MA [English], University of British Columbia, 1971) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1971 and has served abroad in New Delhi, Moscow, and in Port of Spain, where he was High Commissioner from 1988 to 1990. In 1992, he was named Ambassador to Yugoslavia but, due to the war with Croatia, served instead as Ambassador to Albania, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Croatia, with residence in Vienna. From 1993 to 1996, he was Ambassador to Hungary while also retaining his Balkan accreditations. In Ottawa, Mr. Irwin undertook numerous assignments, including Director, Political/Economic Personnel Division, and from 1985 to 1988, Director General, Corporate Management Bureau. From 1996 to 1998, he served as the Department's Inspector General. Since 1998, he has been Director General, Human Resources Development Bureau. He is married to Penelope Irwin and they have three children. Mr. Irwin succeeds Anne Leahy. Philippe Kirsch (BA [Classics], Stanislas College, 1966; LLB, Université de Montréal, 1969; Admitted to the Quebec Bar, 1970; LLM, Université de Montréal, 1972; Academy of International Law - The Hague, 1979) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1972. He has served abroad in Lima and twice at the United Nations in New York, first from 1977 to 1981, and again as Deputy Permanent Representative and Ambassador to the United Nations from 1988 to 1992. In Ottawa, Mr. Kirsch has undertaken assignments principally in the Legal Bureau. From 1983 to 1988, he was Director, Legal Operations Division, serving at the same time as Ambassador and Agent for Canada in the La Bretagne arbitration. From 1992 to 1994, he was Director General, Legal Affairs Bureau, and since 1994, he has been Legal Advisor, also serving twice as Ambassador and Agent for Canada before the International Court of Justice in the Fisheries Jurisdiction Case (Spain v. Canada) and in the Legality of Use of Force Case (Yugoslavia v. Canada). He has two daughters. He will be accompanied to post by Sharon Williams. Mr. Kirsch succeeds William Clarke. Cécile Latour (BA [Economics], University of Ottawa) joined the Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce in 1977 as a Commercial Officer and has served in several positions, including, from 1981 to 1984, in the Southeast Asia Trade Development Division. After becoming a Foreign Service Officer in 1985, Ms. Latour served abroad in Beijing and in London. In Ottawa, Ms. Latour undertook assignments in the East Asia Trade Development Division and in the Personnel (Trade Commissioner Service) Division. Since 1996, Ms. Latour has been Director, South Asia Division. She is married to David Horley. Ms. Latour succeeds Marius Grinius. Normand Mailhot (BA, Loyola College, 1964; MA, University of Toronto, 1967) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1967 and has served abroad in Hong Kong, Beijing, Bogota, Seoul and Islamabad. From 1988 to 1992, he was Consul General in Shanghai and in 1992 he returned to Beijing as Minister-Counsellor. From 1995 to 1997, he was Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner in New York. In Ottawa, Mr. Mailhot undertook assignments in the Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce, Asia Division; and in the Cabinet Liaison Division and the Pacific Relations Division at External Affairs. Since 1997, he has been Director, Communications Strategies and Planning Division. In addition to his headquarters experience, he served with the Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat of the Province of Ontario from 1970 to 1973. He is married to Candace Anne Mailhot. Mr. Mailhot succeeds Gordon Longmuir. Donald P. McLennan (BSc. [Physics], Université Laval, 1968; MBA, University of Alberta, 1970) joined the Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce as a Trade Commissioner in 1970 and has served abroad in Hong Kong, Belgrade, Lagos, Berne, London, and in Riyadh as Minister-Counsellor (Commercial). In 1993, he was named Ambassador to Iran. In Ottawa, Mr. McLennan was seconded to the International Programs Division of the Department of Finance from 1979 to 1982. Since 1996, he has been Director, Policy and Strategic Planning Division, at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. He is married to Judy McLennan and they have three children. Mr. McLennan replaces Serge April. Marta Moszczenska (BA, Carleton University) joined the Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce in 1977 as a Commercial Officer. In 1985, she became a Foreign Service Officer and later served abroad in Milan and in Boston as a Trade Commissioner. In Ottawa, following several assignments in trade policy and with the Program for Export Market Development, she served as Departmental Assistant to the Minister for International Trade and Deputy Director, Trade Development Liaison and Special Projects Division. From 1994 to 1996, she was Director, Rotational Administrative Personnel Division. Since 1996, Ms. Moszczenska has served as Counsellor (Commercial) and Consul at the Canadian Embassy in Jakarta. Ms. Moszczenska succeeds Susan Cartwright. Bruno Picard (BSc, Université Laval, 1977) joined the Canadian Foreign Service in 1977 as a Trade Commissioner and has served abroad in Cairo, Guatemala City, Rabat and Brussels. In Ottawa, he undertook assignments in the Caribbean and Central America Trade Development Division, as Senior Departmental Assistant to the Secretary of State for International Trade, and in the Cabinet Liaison and Western Europe Divisions. He was also Director of Communications in the Office of the Minister for International Trade. Since 1996, he has served as Director of the Centre for Professional Development of the Canadian Foreign Service Institute. He is married to Nicole Proulx and they have three children. Mr. Picard becomes Canada's first resident Ambassador to the Dominican Republic. David Preston (BA [Economics], Queen's University, 1967; MA [Economic Development], University of British Columbia, 1970) joined Statistics Canada in 1970 and entered the Department of External Affairs in 1972. He has served abroad in Jakarta, Accra and Canberra. In Ottawa, he undertook assignments in the Southeast Asia Aid and Development Division, the Eastern and Southern Africa Division, the Pacific Affairs Division, and as Deputy Director in the Japan Relations and the Political/Economic Personnel Divisions. From 1991 to 1995, he served as Director, Economic Relations with Developing Countries Division. Since 1995, he has been Director, United States Transboundary Division. He is married to Catherine Berry and they have two children. Mr. Preston succeeds Nicholas Etheridge. Neil D. Reeder (BA, University of Saskatchewan, 1979; BJ, Carleton University, 1981) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1981 and has served abroad in Rabat, Washington and Hong Kong. In Ottawa, he undertook assignments in the East Asia, the Francophone Africa, and the Caribbean and Central America Relations Divisions. He also served as Public Liaison Officer in the Arms Control and Disarmament Division. From 1995 to 1997, he was a foreign policy analyst at the Privy Council Office. Since 1997, Mr. Reeder has been Director, Media Relations Office. He is married to Irene Hansen-Reeder and they have three children. Mr. Reeder replaces Gardiner Wilson. Jacques Simard (BA, Université de Montréal, 1961; MA [History], University of Ottawa, 1967; Diploma, École nationale d'Administration, 1972) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1967 and has served abroad in Kuala Lumpur, Beirut and Geneva (Conference on Disarmament). In 1983, he was appointed Ambassador to Romania, and from 1990 to 1994, served as Ambassador to Egypt. In Ottawa, he undertook assignments in the Africa and Middle East Division and in the Energy, Transportation and Communications Division, and from 1980 to 1983, he was Director, Analysis and Information Division. Since 1994, Mr. Simard has been Director General, Security and Intelligence Bureau. In addition to his headquarters experience, Mr. Simard served from 1988 to 1990 as Vice-Commandant of the National Defence College in Kingston. He is married to Lise Simard and they have two sons. Mr. Simard replaces Arsène Després. Mary Simon (Honorary Doctorate in Law, McGill University, 1992; Honorary Doctorate in Law, Queen's University, 1994) was named Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs in 1994, becoming the first Inuk to hold ambassadorial rank. In 1969, Ms. Simon joined the CBC Northern Service and worked as a producer and announcer until 1974. She held a number of positions with the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, serving as a Board Member from 1991 to 1994. In 1978, she was elected Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Northern Quebec Inuit Association. From 1979 to 1982, she was First Vice-President of Makivik Corporation, with responsibility for implementation of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, and from 1982 to 1985, she was President of the Makivik Corporation. Ms. Simon was an Executive Council member of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (ICC) from 1980 to 1986 and served as its President from 1986 to 1992. From 1992 to 1994, she was Special Envoy of the ICC. In 1994, she was named Commissioner of the Nunavut Implementation Commission, and in 1997, she was appointed as a member of the Joint Public Advisory Committee of the Commission on Environmental Cooperation of NAFTA and served as its Chair in 1998. Ms. Simon has also been Chancellor of Trent University since 1995. Ms. Simon has been honoured for her work through appointment to the Order of Canada in 1992, and in 1996 she received the National Aboriginal Achievement Award. She has three children and is married to Whit Fraser. Ms. Simon succeeds Brian Baker. While taking up her assignment as Ambassador to Denmark, Ms. Simon will retain her responsibilities as Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs. Gerald R. Skinner (BA, University of British Columbia; MA, Carleton University; post-graduate studies, Moscow State University) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1966 and has served abroad in Cairo, Warsaw, Geneva, Bonn, Moscow as Minister-Counsellor, and again in Cairo as Minister-Counsellor. In Ottawa, Mr. Skinner undertook assignments in the Africa and Middle East Divisions, as well as in the East European Division and the Arms Control and Disarmament Division. He also served, from 1978 to 1980, as Director of the South Asia Division and, from 1984 to 1986, as Director of the Emergency Preparedness Division. In addition to his headquarters experience, Mr. Skinner attended the National Defence College, in Kingston, from 1976 to 1977. Since 1995, he has been Minister-Counsellor in Riga, Latvia. He is married to Ilham Moyine al-Arab and they have a son and a daughter. Mr. Skinner replaces Richard Mann. Christopher Thomson (BA [Economics and Political Science], University of British Columbia, 1964) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1971, after seven years as a stockbroker in Vancouver. He served abroad in Beirut, Hong Kong, and at the United Nations in New York and in Geneva. From 1993 to 1997, Mr. Thomson was Minister-Counsellor and Deputy Permanent Representative to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris. In Ottawa, Mr. Thomson served in the Privy Council Office, from 1989 to 1991, and as Senior Departmental Assistant to the Secretary of State for External Affairs, from 1992 to 1993. Since 1997, he has been Director, Trade Policy Planning Division. He is married to Katrina Thomson (née Hicks) and has four daughters. Mr. Thomson replaces Stuart McDowall. James Wall (BA, Honours, Carleton University, 1968; LLB, University of Ottawa, 1973) joined the Department of External Affairs in 1976 and has served abroad in New Delhi, Jakarta and Nairobi. In Ottawa, he undertook several assignments in the Legal Bureau, serving as the Director, Economic and Trade Law Division, from 1990 to 1992. From 1996 to 1997, he was Director, Information and Technology Trade Policy Division. In 1997, he became Director General, International and Economic Issues Directorate at Environment Canada, a position he held until earlier this year. He is married to Heather Wall and they have a son. Mr. Wall succeeds Anne Charles. </body> </html>

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