Burns, William (1957–)
BURNS, WILLIAM (1957–)
American diplomat. Born in 1957, William Burns earned degrees in history and international relations. Between 1982 and 1984 he was a political advisor attached to the United States Embassy in Jordan. He came to be appreciated by the Jordanian leaders for his seriousness, pragmatism, and profound knowledge of the issues. Between 1995 and 1996 he was spokesperson for the U.S. State Department for Middle Eastern Affairs. In August 1998 he was named United States ambassador to Jordan. In this capacity, Burns participated in numerous negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis, including those at the Wye Plantation. On 21 May 2001, Secretary of State Colin Powell appointed him special emissary for the Near East, in charge of negotiating the application of the Mitchell report recommendations with Palestinian and Israeli leaders. Burns traveled to the West Bank, where he met with Yasir Arafat, then on to Israel, where he was received by Ariel Sharon. That June, Burns was named assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs. William Burns is the author of Economic Aid and American Policy toward Egypt, 1955–1981.
SEE ALSO Oslo Accords II.