Washington, Dec 05: US President George W. Bush appointed longtime family friend and former secretary of state James Baker today as his "personal envoy" to lead efforts to restructure and reduce Iraq's foreign debt. "In response to a request from the Iraqi governing council for assistance, I have appointed James A Baker III to be my personal envoy on the issue of Iraqi debt," Bush said in a statement read to reporters by spokesman Scott McClellan.
Baker, who will report directly to Bush, "will lead an effort to work with the world's governments at the highest levels, with international organizations and with the Iraqis in seeking the restructuring and reduction of Iraq's official debt," the President said.
Baker, 73, led US diplomacy under Bush's father, former US president George Bush, notably assembling the broad international coalition that backed the use of military force to end the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait in 1991.
Bureau Report