Top US diplomat’s special assistant to take Turkey post

WASHINGTON

Ricciardone’s tenure will end in July. AA Photo

The Obama administration has nominated John Bass, the former ambassador to Georgia and a special assistant to Secretary of State John Kerry, to replace the outgoing envoy Francis Ricciardone as the United States’ envoy to Ankara.

Bass needs the Senate’s approval to be appointed to the Turkey post. Ricciardone’s tenure will end in July.

Bass served as U.S. ambassador to Tbilisi from 2009 to 2012. Bass, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, led the Baghdad Provincial Reconstruction Team from 2008-2009. From 2005 to 2008, Bass served as director of the State Department Operations Center. During his tenure, the Operations Center led State’s response to over 25 crises, including coordinating international assistance in response to Hurricane Katrina and orchestrating the largest U.S. government evacuation of American citizens in 60 years.

From 2004 to 2005, Bass was a special advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney, offering advice on developments and policy in Europe and Eurasia. Bass also worked extensively on U.S. policies and initiatives to persuade Russia to accept U.S. missile defense systems, to curb weapons and technology proliferation and to reduce conventional armaments in Europe.

Prior assignments at the State Department include work on Turkey, Cyprus, the Benelux countries, and NATO-Russia negotiations.