Peter Burleigh assumes interim charge as US ambassador in Delhi
02 Jul 2011
New Delhi: Veteran US diplomat, Peter Burleigh, has assumed charge as interim US ambassador to India, once again after two years, when he had held the position briefly. He assumes charge with the departure of previous ambassador, Timothy J Roemer, from the country.
White House is yet to nominate a successor to Roemer, who returned home on the last day of June after a two-year stint in Delhi.
69-year-old Burleigh was the interim ambassador to India for nearly four months before Roemer took up the assignment in August 2009.
Burleigh, who is fluent in Hindi and Bengali, has held important postings across the world. He is also well known for wearing bow ties of which he has an impressive collection.
''Ambassador Burleigh's interim appointment by secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton, reflects US Government's emphasis on assuring highest-level representation and continuity in US-India relations," a statement issued by the US Embassy said.
It is being suggested by the American side that finding a successor to Roemer will take some time as the nominee would have to be confirmed by the US Senate, which is unlikely to happen before next month's India visit of secretary Clinton for the India-US Strategic Dialogue.