Holbrooke Named Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan

President Obama made his first trip to the State Department today, only his second day in office, to showcase what he said was his commitment to renewing American diplomacy.Obama spoke before a crowd of distinguished guests as well as staffers from each bureau and office of the State Department.As a first order to the department,Obama announces today that Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke has stepped down as the organization's Chairman, effective immediately,due to Ambassador Holbrooke's appointment by the Obama administration as Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Board also announces that Asia Society Trustee and Vice Chairman of the Board Charles R. (Chip) Kaye, Co-President of Warburg Pincus, will serve as interim Chairman. Kaye is a former Chairman of the U.S.-India Business Council.

"Although we will miss Ambassador Holbrooke's energy and guidance, I can think of no one better prepared or more qualified to help the President and the Secretary of State address one of the world's most dangerous crisis zones,He is a brilliant diplomat, a tough negotiator, and a tremendous strategist." says Asia Society President Vishakha N. Desai.

Desai also add "We are extremely grateful to Ambassador Holbrooke for his dedication and wise leadership at Asia Society these last seven years,He inspired us and pushed us to new heights, and our organization is far better and stronger as a result."

As Chairman of Asia Society since 2002, Ambassador Holbrooke oversaw a dramatic expansion of Asia Society activities, including the establishment of the Center on U.S.-China Relations, high-level Task Forces including one to develop a regional strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and enhanced public programs. He also led an ambitious capital expansion, with new Asia Society Centers in Mumbai and Seoul, and multimillion dollar facilities in Hong Kong and Houston.

Here are some facts about Holbrooke:

• Holbrooke, 67, is the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and the chief architect of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement which ended the war in Bosnia.
• He negotiated the Dayton accord while serving as assistant secretary of state for European and Canadian affairs from 1994 to 1996.
• Some of his other positions include: U.S. ambassador to Germany from 1993 to 1994; assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 1977 to 1981; and a member of the U.S. delegation at the 1968-1969 Paris Peace talks on Vietnam.
• He was a top foreign policy adviser to Hillary Clinton in her failed presidential bid. After Obama won the Democratic nomination, Holbrooke served as one of his advisers.
• In testimony on Capitol Hill last year, Holbrooke criticized the Bush administration for "pathetic" assistance to Pakistan's tribal areas.
• In the September/October 2008 issue of Foreign Affairs, Holbrooke said the new government needed to restore the United States' reputation in the world. He called the current U.S. policy in Afghanistan a "failure" and urged the incoming administration to focus on tribal areas of Pakistan.
• Holbrooke has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize seven times and is the author of "To End A War." (Reporting by Deborah Charles in Washington; editing by Mohammad Zargham)