United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Ambassador of the United States to Saudi Arabia
سفارة الولايات المتحدة الأميركية في المملكة العربية السعودية

Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Joseph W. Westphal
since March 2014
Residence Quincy House
Nominator Barack Obama
Inaugural holder Bert Fish
as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Formation Aug 7, 1939
Website U.S. Embassy - Riyadh

The United States recognized the government of King Ibn Saud in 1931, but it was not until 1939 when it appointed its first U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Bert Fish, then resident in Cairo and ambassador to Egypt. Fish made one trip down to Jeddah in 1940 to meet the King and present his credentials, but it was not until after his mission was terminated that a legation was established there on May 1, 1942. The current U.S. ambassador is Joseph W. Westphal, who was appointed in 2014 by President Barack Obama.

Ambassadors

U.S. diplomatic terms

Career FSO
After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time.

Political appointee
A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president (often as a reward to political friends).

Appointed
The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as “commissioning”. It follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a Congressional-recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate.

Presented credentials
The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador’s arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador’s letter, but this occurs only rarely.

Terminated mission
Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador’s commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy.

Chargé d'affaires
The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country. See chargé d'affaires.

Ad interim
Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime". See ad interim.

Note: After Fish had withdrawn but before Kirk presented credentials as non-resident Minister, the Legation in Jidda was established on May 1, 1942, with James S. Moose, Jr., as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.

Note: On Sep 26, 1984, the U.S. Liaison Office in Riyadh was raised to the rank of embassy while the embassy in Jeddah became a consulate.

Note: C. David Welch served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim Aug 1992-Aug 1994.

Notes

  1. ↑ Also accredited to Egypt; resident at Cairo.
  2. ↑ Also accredited to Egypt and to the Government of Greece established in Egypt; resident at Cairo.
  3. ↑ Also accredited to Yemen; resident at Jidda.
  4. ↑ Also accredited to Yemen; resident at Jidda.
  5. ↑ Also accredited to Yemen; resident at Jidda.
  6. ↑ Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Jan 26, 1954.
  7. ↑ Also accredited to Yemen; resident at Jidda.
  8. ↑ Also commissioned to Yemen, but did not present credentials in that country. Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Jan 27, 1958.
  9. ↑ Also commissioned to Kuwait and Yemen; resident at Jidda.
  10. ↑ Not commissioned; nomination withdrawn before the Senate acted upon it.
  11. ↑ Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Sep 29, 1981.
  12. ↑ Nomination of Jun 3, 1992 was not acted on by the Senate.
  13. ↑ Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Oct 31, 1997.
  14. ↑ Had presented his credentials to the Foreign Minister, May 5, 2007.

See also

References

External links

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