The Washington Diplomat

Appointments - July 2005

Cambodia
• Sereywath Ek became ambassador of Cambodia to the United States on March 8. Ambassador Ek previously served as senator of the Kingdom of Cambodia (2004), ambassador to the Philippines (1999-2003), a member of Parliament for the Takeo Province constituency (1998-99), and secretary of state (vice minister) at the Ministry of National Defense (1993-98). In 1993, he also served as vice minister of information in the provisional government of Cambodia and a member of Parliament for the Phnom Penh constituency. In addition, he has held posts as deputy director (1985-91) and director of information for Funcipec (1991-93), editor of the Cambodia Center newsletter in Paris (1983-85), and a journalist with Le Figaro in Paris (1978-80). Ambassador Ek holds a master’s degree in political science from the Institute of Political Studies Diplomatic Section in Paris and is married with two children.

Estonia
• Jonatan Vseviov is scheduled to assume the position of third secretary on Sept. 1, replacing Priit Massing, who is scheduled to leave the post Sept. 1.

Holy See
• Matteo DeMori assumed the position of first secretary in May.

• Peter Magee departed the post of first counselor in April.

Hungary
• Zoltan Feher assumed the position of political secretary (third secretary for political and security affairs) on June 2. Feher previously worked at the Department of International Organizations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2002-05). He holds a master’s degree in American studies and political science as well as a law degree.

Korea
• Dr. Seok Hyun Hong became ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States on March 8. For the past 10 years, Ambassador Hong has devoted his expertise to the development of the Korean media. He previously served as publisher, chairman and chief executive officer of Joong Ang Ilbo, Korea’s most widely read daily news publication, and he currently serves as president of the World Association of Newspapers and president of the Korean Association of Newspapers. In addition, Ambassador Hong served as an economist to the World Bank from 1977 to 1983, after which he entered government service—first as chief assistant to the finance minister, then as principal assistant to the chief of staff to the president of Korea, and later as a senior fellow at the Korea Development Institute. In 1986, Ambassador Hong joined Samsung Corning Co., Ltd., as an executive managing director and went on to become senior executive vice president of the company. Most recently, Ambassador Hong was selected to serve as the first chairman of the newly launched English-Speaking Union Korea and the first president of the organizing committee for the World Culture Open. He received a bachelor’s of science degree in electronics engineering from Seoul National University, a master’s degree in industrial engineering, and a doctorate in economics from Stanford University.

Malta
• Paula Calamatta departed the post of counselor (investments) on March 31.

Tunisia
• Mohamed Nejib Hachana became ambassador of Tunisia to the United States on March 8. Ambassador Hachana previously served as ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (2003-04), cabinet member in the Office of the President’s Department of Diplomatic Affairs (2000-03), director of Maghreb (North African) countries (1998-2000) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and ambassador to Lebanon (1996-98). In addition, he served at the Tunisian Embassy in Washington on a previous occasion, as deputy chief of mission from 1988 to 1992, and he’s held various posts within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including director of the Arab Countries Department (1995-96), deputy director of bilateral cooperation with North American and European countries (1986-88), deputy director of cooperation with North American countries and multilateral cooperation with the United Nations and its specialized agencies (1984-86), and division chief of bilateral cooperation with American and Asian countries (1983-84). Ambassador Hachana holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Law and Economics in Tunisia, a high diploma from the National School of Administration in Tunisia, a certificate of applied statistics from the University of Boulder in Colorado, and a diploma from the National Institute of Defense for Strategic Studies in Tunisia. He is married with two children.