World news – Embassy 4 – January 2008

Top US envoy steps down

WASHINGTON – Nicholas Burns, one of America’s top diplomats and a leading policymaker on Iran and India is to retire in March for personal reasons.

The announcement came as a new UN Security Council Resolution on Iran was passed.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to recommend US Ambassador to Russia, William Burns – no relation – to replace Burns as under secretary of state for political affairs.

William Burns, currently the third in command at the State Department, has had a major role in negotiating three UN Security Council resolutions imposing sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

Burns, 51, has also been the lead US negotiator on an agreement that would give India access to US nuclear fuel and equipment for the first time in 30 years, despite its nuclear tests and refusal to join non-proliferation agreements.

Burns pledged to continue to work on the US-India nuclear deal after he retires, as well as to help the Israel-Palestine peace process.

His likely successor, William Burns, has been Ambassador to Russia since 2005.