Richard Holbrooke

Former U.S.Ambassador to the United Nations

Unlikely Adversaries:

Europe, the U.S., and the U.N.

Wednesday, 6:45 p.m., February 4, 2004

(Note this postponement from December 4, 2003)

The New York Times hails Richard Holbrooke as a “Master of impossible missions!” As U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Holbrooke negotiated an unprecedented multi-party agreement that brought the U.S. back into good standing with the United Nations. He reduced the U.S. share of dues and assessments, persuaded Congress to release almost $1 billion in unpaid U.N. dues, and enlisted the aid of Ted Turner to ante up the balance. He is no stranger to difficult assignments: he was the architect and chief negotiator of the momentous 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement which ended the war in Bosnia. Holbrooke’s distinguished career also includes service as the Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and U.S. Ambassador to Germany.