Zee Beam News

22.07.2005 11:26 MSK MosNews - President Bush on Thursday chose William J. Burns, the administration's top official on the Arab-Israeli conflict, to be U.S. ambassador to Russia, The Associated Press reported. A career diplomat, Burns is assistant secretary of state for the Near East. If confirmed by the Senate, he will succeed Alexander Vershbow in Moscow. Burns has headed the Near East bureau since June 2001. He speaks Russian as well as Arabic and French, and has served in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow as a political officer. He is also a former U.S. ambassador to Jordan. He has made frequent trips to the Middle East to try to reduce tensions and promote Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.