The Washington Diplomat

Appointments - July 2005

Bangladesh
• Shamsher M. Chowdhury became ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States on April 21. Ambassador Chowdhury previously served as Bangladesh’s foreign secretary (2001-05) and high commissioner to Sri Lanka (1991-95), as well as ambassador to Vietnam (1998-2001) and Germany (1995-98). In addition, he was director-general of the SAARC Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1988-91), deputy chief of mission at the Bangladesh Embassy in Beijing (1986-88), counselor and minister at the Bangladesh High Commission in Ottawa (1983-86), and counselor at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington (1981-83). He was commissioned in the Pakistan Army in 1969 and served in Jessore and Chittagong during his career with the army. Ambassador Chowdhury actively participated in the War of Liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 and was awarded the Gallantry Award “Bir Bikram” (BB). He was promoted to the rank of major in 1973 and joined the Bangladesh Civil Service in 1975. Ambassador Chowdhury graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the Pakistan Military Academy. He speaks German and Italian, and has a working knowledge of French.

Chad
• Allate Detoyna assumed the position of first counselor on March 17, replacing Abdoulaye Beri, who departed the post on March 17. Detoyna previously served as first counselor at the Chad Embassy in Nigeria and holds a master’s degree in English teaching.

China
• Zhou Wenzhong became ambassador of China to the United States on April 14. Ambassador Zhou previously served in Washington as deputy chief of mission of the Chinese Embassy in Washington (1995-98) and on a prior occasion as attaché and then third secretary (1978-83). In addition, he was China’s vice minister of foreign affairs (2003-05) and assistant foreign affairs ministe r (2001-03), as well as ambassador to Australia (1998-2001) and to Barbados and Antigua and Barbuda (1990-93). Ambassador Zhou also served as consul general of China in Los Angeles (1994-95), deputy consul general in San Francisco (1987-90), deputy director-general of the North American and Oceanic Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1993-94), as well as second secretary, deputy division director, and division director of the Department of Translation and Interpretation at the Ministry (1983-87). Ambassador Zhou studied at Bath University and the London School of Economics. He is married with one daughter.

Peru
• Jorge Rubio assumed the position of deputy chief of mission on March 1, replacing Nestor Popolizio, who departed the post on Feb. 15. Rubio previously served as deputy chief of mission of the Peruvian Embassy in Argentina.

Sri Lanka
• Bernard Anton B. Goonetilleke became ambassador of Sri Lanka to the United States on April 12. Ambassador Goonetilleke previously served in Washington at the Sri Lanka Embassy and has visited the capital in various capacities, including that of foreign secretary. A career diplomat in the Sri Lankan Foreign Service, he previously served as secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as Sri Lanka’s acting permanent representative to the United Nations in New York. He was also Sri Lanka’s ambassador to China and the Holy See and permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva and Vienna, as well as ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament. From December 2001 to May 2004, Ambassador Goonetilleke served as the director-general/secretariat for coordinating the peace process in Colombo and was closely involved with the negotiations toward restoring peace in Sri Lanka.