American diplomat
William Burnside Buffum (September 10, 1921 – April 13, 2012) was an official in the United States Department of State.
Biography
Buffum was born in Binghamton, New York on September 10, 1921. He served in the United States Army during World War II. He later joined the United States Foreign Service. Buffum served on the staffs of Ambassadors Arthur Goldberg and Charles W. Yost at the United States Mission to the United Nations. In 1970, President of the United States Richard Nixon nominated Buffum as United States Ambassador to Lebanon and Buffum held this post until 1974. Nixon then nominated Buffum as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs; Buffum held this office from February 4, 1974, until December 18, 1975. In the later 1970s, Buffum was Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations for Political and General Assembly Affairs.
Buffum died on April 13, 2012, at his house on the island of Hawaii.
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