Robert Halsey Pelletreau Jr. (born July 9, 1935) is an American former diplomat who was United States Ambassador to Bahrain (1979–1980), Tunisia (1987–1991), and Egypt (1991–1993), as well as the former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs.[1] He currently sits on the U.S. Advisory Council of the Israel Policy Forum. He is also a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy and Council on Foreign Relations.

Robert Pelletreau
17th Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs
In office
February 18, 1994–January 24, 1997
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byEdward Djerejian
Succeeded byMartin Indyk
United States Ambassador to Egypt
In office
September 12, 1991–December 11, 1993
PresidentGeorge Herbert Walker Bush
Preceded byFrank G. Wisner
Succeeded byEdward S. Walker, Jr.
United States Ambassador to Tunisia
In office
July 1, 1987–May 11, 1991
PresidentRonald Reagan
George H. W. Bush
Preceded byPeter Sebastian
Succeeded byJohn Thomas McCarthy
United States Ambassador to Bahrain
In office
March 10, 1979–April 3, 1980
PresidentJimmy Carter
Preceded byWat T. Cluverius IV
Succeeded byPeter A. Sutherland
Personal details
Born (1935-07-09) July 9, 1935 (age 89)
Patchogue, New York
SpousePamela Day Pelletreau
Children3
Alma materYale University (BA)
Harvard University (LLB)

Early years

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Robert H. Pelletreau was born July 9, 1935, in Patchogue, New York. After graduating from Yale University (B.A., 1957), he served in the United States Navy Reserve from 1957 to 1958. Later he attended Harvard Law School (LL.B., 1961).

Career

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Ambassador Robert H. Pelletreau entered the Foreign Service in 1962. From 1973 to 1975 Ambassador Pelletreau was a Political Officer in Algiers, Algeria; and served in several capacities in Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania and Morocco. He became Deputy Chief of Mission in Damascus, Syria in 1975. He remained in that position until 1978. A year later he became the Ambassador to the State of Bahrain until 1980. He became the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Near East and South Asia at the Pentagon, 1980–1981. He was Country Director for Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the Department of State, 1981–1982, and from 1983–1985 the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs at the Department of State. He appeared before the Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on September 26, 1983, addressing Major U.S. Interests in the Middle East.[2] He was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense from 1985–1987. Afterwards, he was Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia from 1987 to 1991. Prior to his most recent position, Ambassador Pelletreau had served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Arab Republic of Egypt on July 31, 1991. Mr. Pelletreau, Jr. was sworn in as Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs on February 18, 1994.[3]

Family

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Pelletreau is married and has three children.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "ROBERT H. PELLETREAU, JR". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  2. ^ Major U.S. interests in the Middle East : September 26, 1983. Current policy ;no. 515. US Department of State. 1983. hdl:2027/umn.31951d008229320.
  3. ^ Killgore, Andrew I. (January 1989). "Personality: Ambassador Robert H. Pelletreau, Jr". American Educational Trust. p. 12. Archived from the original on May 10, 2006.
  4. ^ Rosenthal, Andrew (December 15, 1988). "Robert Pelletreau: Longtime Mideast Figure". New York Times. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
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Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Bahrain
1979–1980
Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Tunisia
1987–1991
Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Egypt
1991–1993
Succeeded by