Office of the Special Representative for Trade Negotiations Nomination of Reubin O'D. Askew To Be Special Representative for Trade Negotiations and Designation of Alonzo L. McDonald, It., as Acting Special Representative.

The President will nominate Reubin Askew to be the Special Representative for Trade Negotiations with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. This position will continue to be considered a Cabinet-level post. Governor Askew will succeed Robert Strauss, who is resigning the post effective today. The President earlier this year named Mr. Strauss as Ambassador at Large for the Middle East negotiations. Mr. Strauss will now be able to turn his full attention to that area.

Following confirmation, Governor Askew is expected to assume his duties as Special Trade Representative on or about October I. In the interim, Alonzo L. McDonald, Jr., who is now the Deputy Trade Representative, will be the Acting Special Representative for Trade Negotiations.

Ambassador Strauss has been anxious to leave these responsibilities for quite some time, and we wanted to make this transition as soon as possible.

Both Ambassador Strauss and Ambassador McDonald have pledged to work closely with Governor Askew to ensure a smooth transition. The President is, of course, pleased that Governor Askew has agreed to join the administration in a position of this importance. The President served as Governor of Georgia at the same time that Governor Askew was in office in Florida. The men came to know each other well during that time. The President has long admired Governor Askew's abilities as a leader and as an administrator.