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U.S. Ambassador John F. Tefft is finishing His Tour in Lithuania
June 27, 2003
June 27, 2003 -- Vilnius, Lithuania. Outgoing US Ambassador John F. Tefft will hold his last Press Conference before he departs for the United States. The press conference is scheduled to take place at the Baltic News Service on Monday, June 30 at 11.00h.
Ambassador J.F.Tefft has served in Lithuania since the summer of 2000 and will continue working for the United States Department of State at the United States National Defense University National War College (NWC) http://www.ndu.edu/nwc/index.htm. Ambassador Tefft may return to diplomatic assignments after two years at the NWC.
In the beginning of his tour in Lithuania, Ambassador Tefft said he would stand committed to continuing the strong, friendly, and cooperative relationship between the U.S. and Lithuania, because our two countries share a common vision of a whole and free Europe. Now, after three years, Lithuania is close to becoming a full member of NATO and the EU. Ambassador J.Tefft is pleased to have had the opportunity to be part of very important historic events for Lithuania.
Ambassador J.Tefft says he was truly honored to have had the opportunity to work in Lithuania as the U.S. Ambassador. He notes that service in Lithuania was the highlight of his career and that he and his wife Mariella feel sad about leaving. "What Lithuania has achieved in the past twelve years is nothing short of a miracle, the "stebuklas" that President Bush and so many others have talked about. And it is due primarily to the hard work and sacrifice of the Lithuanian people, along with a little help from some of your friends," notes Ambassador J. Tefft.
Ambassador Stephen D. Mull who will replace Ambassador John F. Tefft will arrive later this summer. He was recently serving as the Deputy Chief of Mission in Jakarta, Indonesia. Prior to his assignment in Jakarta Mr. Stephen D. Mull served as a Consular and Political Officer at the US Missions in Poland, the Bahamas, and South Africa since the beginning of his career in the Foreign Service in 1982. He later was appointed to be the a Deputy Director of the State Department Operations Center, Political Counselor at the US Embassy in Warsaw, Poland, Director of Office of Southern European Affairs, Bureau of European Affairs, and Deputy Executive Secretary, Office of the Secretary of the US Department of State.
