June 24, 1988
The President today announced his intention to nominate Robert L. Pugh, of Virginia, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, as Ambassador to the Republic of Chad. He would succeed John Blane.
Mr. Pugh entered the Foreign Service in 1961. He studied at the Foreign Service Institute and then served as an international economist for the Department of State, 1961 - 1963. In 1963 he returned to the Institute for further study. He served as political-military officer in Ankara, Turkey, 1964 - 1967, and as principal officer of the American consulate in Isfahan, 1967 - 1969. From 1969 to 1972, he was political officer in the Office of Turkish Affairs for the Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs in the Department of State. He served as political-military officer in Athens, Greece, 1972 - 1976; congressional relations officer at the Department of State, 1976 - 1977; political adviser to CINCUSNAVEUR in London, 1977 - 1979; and Deputy Director of the Office of Southern European Affairs in the Bureau of European Affairs, 1979 - 1981. Mr. Pugh was a personnel placement officer in the Bureau of Personnel, 1981 - 1982, and deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, 1982 - 1984. From 1984 to 1985, he attended the Executive Seminar in National and International Affairs at the Foreign Service Institute. Since 1985 he has been U.S. Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
Mr. Pugh graduated from the University of Washington (B.A., 1954). He served in the United States Marine Corps, 1954 - 1961. He was born October 27, 1931, in Clinton, PA. He is married and has two children.