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American Envoy to Syria Steps Down American Envoy to Syria Steps Down
(about 14 hours later)
The United States’ top representative to the Syrian opposition, Robert S. Ford, retired from the Foreign Service on Friday, the State Department said. Lawrence Silverman, the acting deputy assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs, will serve as his replacement until a successor is chosen. State Department officials said this month that Mr. Ford was expected to retire soon. As the American ambassador to Syria, Mr. Ford played an active role in challenging President Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on the political opposition. In February 2012, as the security situation in Syria worsened, the American Embassy was closed. Mr. Ford later became the chief American envoy to the moderate Syrian opposition. Mr. Ford played a central role during the first two rounds of the peace talks in Geneva.The United States’ top representative to the Syrian opposition, Robert S. Ford, retired from the Foreign Service on Friday, the State Department said. Lawrence Silverman, the acting deputy assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs, will serve as his replacement until a successor is chosen. State Department officials said this month that Mr. Ford was expected to retire soon. As the American ambassador to Syria, Mr. Ford played an active role in challenging President Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on the political opposition. In February 2012, as the security situation in Syria worsened, the American Embassy was closed. Mr. Ford later became the chief American envoy to the moderate Syrian opposition. Mr. Ford played a central role during the first two rounds of the peace talks in Geneva.
Those talks made no headway, and Secretary of State John Kerry has blamed the Syrian government for the deadlock. Mr. Ford also served as ambassador in Algeria and was a diplomat in Iran, Bahrain, Egypt, Turkey and Cameroon. Those talks made no headway, and Secretary of State John Kerry has blamed the Syrian government for the deadlock. Mr. Ford also served as ambassador in Algeria and was a diplomat in Iraq, Bahrain, Egypt, Turkey and Cameroon.