Nomination of William Arthur Rugh To Be United States Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates

The President today announced his intention to nominate William Arthur Rugh, of Maryland, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Career Minister, to be Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. He would succeed Edward S. Walker, Jr.

Since 1989, Ambassador Rugh has served as Director of the Near East and South Asia Bureau at the U.S. Information Agency. Prior to this he served as Ambassador to the Yemen Arab Republic, 1984 - 87, and as Deputy Chief of Mission in Damascus, Syria, 1981 - 84. He also served in a number of other positions in Cairo, Jidda, and Riyadh.

Ambassador Rugh graduated from Oberlin College (B.A., 1958); Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (M.A., 1961); and Columbia University (Ph.D., 1964). He was born May 10, 1936, in New York, NY. Ambassador Rugh is married, has three children, and resides in Maryland.