Nomination of James Richard Cheek To Be United States Ambassador to Sudan

The President today announced his intention to nominate James Richard Cheek, of Arkansas, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Sudan. He would succeed G. Norman Anderson.

Mr. Cheek joined the Foreign Service in 1962. He has served in numerous assignments with the Department of State, including chief of the political section in Managua, 1971 - 1974; congressional fellow for the United States Senate and House of Representatives, 1974 - 1975; Deputy Director for Regional Affairs in the Bureau of Near East and South Asian Affairs, 1975 - 1977; and deputy chief of mission in Montevideo, 1977 - 1979. He has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, 1979 - 1981. Mr. Cheek was a foreign affairs fellow at Howard University and Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, 1981 - 1982; deputy chief of mission in Kathmandu, 1982 - 1985; and chief of mission and Charge d'Affaires in Addis Ababa, 1985 - 1988. Since 1988 he has been diplomat-in-residence at Howard University.

Mr. Cheek graduated from Arkansas State Teachers College (B.A., 1959) and American University with a master of international service degree in 1961. He was born April 27, 1936, in Decatur, GA. He served in the U.S. Army, 1954 - 1956, and on active reserve, 1956 - 1967. Mr. Cheek is married, has three children, and resides in Virginia.