August 18, 1988
The President today announced his intention to nominate Robert B. Oakley to be Ambassador to Pakistan. Mr. Oakley is a career Foreign Service officer currently serving as Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and Senior Director of Middle East, South Asia, and North Africa Affairs for the National Security Council.
Ambassador Oakley has the rank of Career Minister in the Foreign Service, which he joined in 1957. Prior to joining the NSC staff he was a resident fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Previously he completed a 2-year tour as Director of the Office for Combatting Terrorism at the Department of State, September 1984 to September 1986; Ambassador to the Somali Democratic Republic, 1982 - 1984; Ambassador to the Republic of Zaire, 1979 - 1982; Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia and the Pacific, 1972 - 1979; and senior adviser of the National Security Council staff for the Middle East, South Asia, and North Africa, 1974 - 1977.
Mr. Oakley graduated from Princeton University (1952). He is married, has two children, and resides in Washington, DC. Mr. Oakley was born March 12, 1931, in Dallas, TX.