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U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs on Official Visit to Vilnius, May 23-25, 2004

May 21, 2004

Vilnius, May 21, 2004--Assistant Secretary Ms. A. Elizabeth Jones will visit Vilnius this week to attend a conference on Monday, May 24th of Nordic-Baltic Political Directors under the auspices of the Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe.  The conference is hosted by Mr. Evaldas Ignatavičius, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania as an effort to strengthen U.S. cooperation with the Nordic-Baltic countries.  Political Directors from Latvia, Estonia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and the United States will meet at the Hotel “Novotel Vilnius” to discuss Nordic-Baltic cooperation, security policy, and global issues such as HIV/AIDS.  Parallel discussions will also take place with non-governmental organizations active in these areas. Assistant Secretary Jones will meet separately with Acting President Arturas Paulauskas, Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis, Members of the Lithuanian Seimas, and Jewish Community Leaders.

Assistant Secretary Jones of Bethesda, Maryland, was sworn in as Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs on May 31, 2001. Previously, she served as Senior Advisor for Caspian Basin Energy Diplomacy after having been Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (1998-2000). Ms. Jones was Ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan (1995-98) and Executive Assistant to Secretary of State Warren Christopher (1993-94). Her other Washington assignments include Deputy Director for Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq (1983-84), Lebanon Desk Officer (1981-83), and public affairs officer in the Near East and South Asia Bureau (1972-73).

Her overseas assignments were concentrated in the Middle East, South Asia, and Germany. She was Deputy Chief of Mission in Bonn, Germany (1992-93) and in Islamabad, Pakistan (1988-92). She headed the Economic/Commercial Section in the U.S. Mission in West Berlin (1985-88). She served as Deputy Principal Officer in the U.S. Interests Section in Baghdad, Iraq (1979-80), Political Officer in Amman, Jordan (1977-79) and in Cairo, Egypt (1973-75). She studied Arabic in Beirut, Tunis, and Cairo (1975-77). Her first Foreign Service post was Kabul, Afghanistan (1971-72); she joined the Foreign Service in October 1970.