Memorial Service Scheduled for US Diplomat Holbrooke
U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, speaks during a question and answer event in Berlin, Germany (2010 File)
President Obama will attend a memorial service Friday afternoon in Washington for U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke, who was serving as the administration＇s special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan when he died last month at age 69. Holbrooke had a storied career, capped in 1995 by the Dayton Peace Accords that ended the Bosnian war.
Holbrooke＇s government career began in 1962 with a foreign service assignment in Vietnam. He served under every Democratic president from John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama.
President Obama praised Holbrooke at a State Department function just hours before he died.
"From a young foreign service officer in Vietnam to the architect of the accords that ended the slaughter in the Balkans, to advancing our regional efforts as our special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, and countless crises and hot spots in between. He is simply one of the giants of American foreign policy," said Mr. Obama.
In his most celebrated achievement, Holbrooke brokered the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995, which effectively ended the war in Bosnia.
"On paper we have peace. To make it work is our next and greatest challenge," Holbrooke said.
Haris Silajdzic, a member of Bosnia＇s three-member presidency, took part in the Dayton talks. He praised Holbrooke＇s diplomatic skill.
"The world has lost a very able diplomat," said Silajdzic. "We need good people all over the world to prevent wars and to make peace. He was one of the best."
In recent years, Holbrooke was serving as President Obama＇s special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. In that role, his plain-spoken, hard-charging style sometimes put him at odds with U.S. military leaders and foreign officials.
"The people who demand that the foreign troops leave Afghanistan before they talk about peace are actually asking for surrender," said Holbrooke. "Let us not be naive about this."
Afghan Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmad Zahir Faqiri said Holbrooke＇s death is cause for sorrow.
"We express our deep condolences to the government of the United States, to the people of the United States and to the family of the late Holbrooke," said Faqiri.
For the U.S., Holbrooke＇s death was cause for sorrow, and more.
"The word that keeps being said over and over again is ＇statesman.＇ It＇s a word we don＇t use anymore, but Richard embodied it," added U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
She said Holbrooke loved the United States and was dedicated to the cause of peace.
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