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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release May 22, 1997

PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES STEPHEN R. SESTANOVICH FOR AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE AND SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON THE NEW INDEPENDENT

STATES AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

President Clinton today announced his intent to nominate Stephen R. Sestanovich as Ambassador-at-Large and Special Adviser to the Secretary of State on the New Independent States (NIS) at the Department of State.

Dr. Sestanovich, of Washington, DC, currently is Vice President for Russian and Eurasian affairs at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he oversees the Endowment's new policy research center in Moscow and its program of post-Soviet studies in Washington. Prior to joining the Endowment in 1994, Dr. Sestanovich was Director of Russian and Eurasian studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies 1987-1994; Senior Director for policy development at the National Security Council 1984-1987; Member of the Policy Planning Staff at the Department of State 1981-1984; and Senior Legislative Assistant for foreign policy to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan 1980-1981. He received a B.A. degree from Cornell University in 1972, and a Ph.D in Government from Harvard University in 1978.

In his capacity as Ambassador-at-Large and Special Adviser on the NIS, Dr. Sestanovich will serve as the principal adviser to the Secretary on NIS. He will bring overall operational coordination to the U.S. relations with and assistance to the NIS of the former Soviet Union; implement proposals on NIS policy; coordinate NIS policy both within the Department and with other Government entities; and serve as the principal spokesman for the Administration and the Department of State before Congress and the public on policy toward the NIS.

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