Bush to Nominate John Negroponte as U.S. Ambassador to Iraq

President Bush has announced his intention to nominate John Negroponte as the U.S. ambassador to Iraq.

In an April 19 statement, Bush praised Negroponte's work as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, describing him as "a man of enormous experience and skill."

If he receives Senate confirmation, Negroponte would be the first ambassador at the new U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, which is slated to open following the June 30 transfer of sovereignty. At that time, the Coalition Provisional Authority will be dissolved.

Negroponte has served in his current position as ambassador to the United Nations since September 2001.

Following is a transcript of the president's remarks:

(begin transcript)

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Hershey, Pennsylvania)

April 19, 2004

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
IN ANNOUNCEMENT OF INTENTION TO NOMINATE
JOHN NEGROPONTE TO BE AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ

The Oval Office

1:51 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Today I'm announcing my intention to nominate Ambassador John Negroponte as the Ambassador to Iraq. Ambassador Negroponte now serves our nation at the United Nations as the Ambassador there. He has done a really good job of speaking for the United States to the world about our intentions to spread freedom and peace. John Negroponte is a man of enormous experience and skill. Therefore, I'm comfortable in asking him to serve in this very difficult assignment. No doubt in my mind he can handle it. No doubt in my mind he'll do a very good job. And there's no doubt in my mind that Iraq will be free and democratic and peaceful.

So, John, thank you for agreeing to serve your country yet once again. I'm proud of your service. Good luck to you. Thank you.

AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE: Thank you very much, Mr. President. Thank you.

THE PRESIDENT: You bet.

Thank you.

(end transcript)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)