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Today, Ambassador Ralph R. Johnson has taken up his duties as the new
Principal Deputy High Representative in Sarajevo.
Prior to this appointment, Ambassador Johnson served as the U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia in Bratislava since 1996. Previously, he was the Coordinator for Assistance to Central and Eastern Europe in charge of coordinating all U.S. assistance to the region, including the approximately $400 million per year under the SEED (Support for Eastern European Democracy) Act. Ambassador Johnson entered the U.S. Foreign Service in 1969 and served overseas in Guyana (1969-1971), Poland (1973-1976) and Bolivia (1977-1979). Subsequently, he occupied positions in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (1979-1983 and 1986-1989), the office of the U.S. Trade Representative for Bilateral Affairs, Japan and Eastern and Western Europe (1983-1985) and the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs (1985-1986 and 1991-1993). At the latter, he was directly engaged in supervising the development of policy toward Eastern and Central Europe and the Balkans including the former Yugoslavia. Ambassador Johnson received a Presidential Meritorious Award in 1989 and in 1994 and a Superior Honor Award in 1987. Ambassador Johnson holds a B.A. from Seattle University (1963) and an M.A. from Columbia University (1965). He speaks Spanish and Polish. He is married and has two children. Ambassador Johnson is replacing Ambassador Jacques Paul Klein who has been appointed by the United Nations Secretary General as the Secretary General's Special Representative and Coordinator for United Nations Operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
RALPH R. JOHNSON
Ralph R. Johnson took up his duties as Principal Deputy High Representative in Sarajevo on July 20, 1999. Previously, he served as U.S. Ambassador to the Slovak Republic. He was sworn in March 15, 1996, and took up his post in Bratislava on April 2, 1996. Prior to that appointment, Ambassador Johnson was the Coordinator for Assistance to central and Eastern Europe. He was responsible for the coordination of all U.S. assistance to the region, including the approximately $400 million per year under the SEED Act. From July 1991 to August 1993, Ambassador Johnson was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs. His responsibilities included acting as alter ego for the Assistant Secretary, in addition to Bureau management issues. He was directly engaged in supervising the development of policy toward Eastern and Central Europe and the Balkans, including the former Yugoslavia. Ambassador Johnson previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Canadian affairs and was the Bureau's Economic Deputy Assistant. Secretary. Prior to that assignment, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Trade and Commercial Affairs in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (August 1986-June 1989). After entering the Foreign Service in 1969, Ambassador Johnson served overseas in Guyana (1969-1971), Poland (1973-1976), and Bolivia (1977-1979). In Washington, Ambassador Johnson occupied positions in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (1979-1983). He served as the Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Bilateral Affairs, Japan and Eastern and Western Europe at the office of the U.S. Trade Representative (1983-1985). In September 1985, he returned to the Department of State to become Director of the Office of European Regional Political and Economic Affairs in the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs. Ambassador Johnson received a Presidential Meritorious Award in 1989 and in 1994 and a Superior Honor Award in 1987. Ambassador Johnson holds a B.A. from Seattle University (1963) and an M.A. from Columbia University (1965). He speaks Spanish and Polish. He is married and has two children.
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