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The U.S. Embassy in Athens has a new person at the helm, and unlike his high-profile predecessor, he is a career diplomat who already knows the political fault lines of Greece, Cyprus and Turkey.
Joshua Huck has officially assumed leadership of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Greece as chargé d’affaires following the resignation of Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle, who was asked by the White House to step down amid allegations of misconduct that she denies.
Huck is not taking over as the permanent ambassador. As chargé d’affaires, he will run the embassy and carry out the ambassador’s duties until Washington nominates a replacement and that person is confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
His appointment is particularly relevant to Cyprus. Before moving to Athens, Huck served as deputy assistant secretary of state overseeing Southern Europe and the Caucasus. He previously led the State Department office responsible for policy on Cyprus, Greece, Malta and Turkey.
That means the diplomat now managing one of Washington’s most important missions in the region is already familiar with the Cyprus problem, Greek-Turkish relations and the wider security challenges of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Huck has also served at U.S. diplomatic missions in Shanghai, Tokyo, Sofia, Yangon, Taipei and Hong Kong. His assignments in Washington included positions in the State Department offices dealing with China and Korea.
He was previously chief of staff to Kurt Campbell when Campbell served as assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs.
A graduate of Johns Hopkins University, Huck holds a master’s degree from the International University of Japan and studied at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Bologna, Italy. He speaks Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Burmese and Bulgarian.
His arrival at the top of the Athens mission brings a quieter, more traditional diplomatic figure into the role at a sensitive time for the region. Greece and the United States are deepening cooperation on defence and energy, while tensions involving Turkey, maritime boundaries and regional security remain firmly on the agenda.
For Nicosia, the change means a diplomat who has already dealt directly with Cyprus policy will now sit at the centre of Washington’s relationship with Athens, an influential post whenever Greek-Turkish relations or the Cyprus issue return to the diplomatic spotlight.
*Source: Reuters
