Roger Kirk (diplomat)

Roger Kirk
United States Ambassador to Romania
In office November 29, 1985 – July 5, 1989
President	Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	David B. Funderburk
Succeeded by	Alan Green, Jr.
United States Ambassador to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization
In office September 18, 1980 – June 15, 1983
President	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	John Charles Leary
Succeeded by	Richard S. Williamson (as United Nations International Organizations in Vienna)
United States Ambassador to Somalia
In office October 8, 1973 – February 20, 1975
President	Richard Nixon Gerald R. Ford
Preceded by	Matthew J. Looram, Jr.
Succeeded by	John Lewis Loughran
Personal details
Born	(1930-11-02)November 2, 1930 Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.
Died	January 18, 2023(2023-01-18) (aged 92) Washington D.C., U.S.
Alma mater	Princeton University
Occupation	Diplomat

Roger Kirk (November 2, 1930 – January 18, 2023) was an American career diplomat who was United States Ambassador to Somalia^[1] (1973–75) and Romania^[1] (1985–1989). He was born in Newport, Rhode Island.^[2]

Biography

Kirk received a BA from Princeton University in 1952 and served in the US Air Force from 1952 to 1955.^[2] From 1973 until 1975 he was the US Ambassador to Somalia.^[3] In 1978 he was nominated to be the Deputy Representative of the US to the International Atomic Energy Agency,^[2] in which capacity he served from 1978 until 1983.^[3] From 1985 until 1989 he was the U.S. Ambassador to Romania.^[3] He was a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy.^[4] Kirk died from pneumonia in Washington D.C., on January 18, 2023, at the age of 92.^[5]

Throughout his career, Kirk shared multiple oral histories with the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training.^[6]

References

1. Congressional Record - Proceedings and Debates of the 109th Congress First Session. Vol. 151 part 8. Government Printing Office. 2005. p. 11471. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
2. Carter, Jimmy Earl. Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Jimmy Carter, 1978, Book 1: January 1 to June 30, 1978. National Archives and Records Service, Office of the Federal Register. p. 317. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
3. Hopkins Miller, Robert (1992). Inside an embassy: the political role of diplomats abroad. Congressional Quarterly. p. 140. ISBN 9780871877130. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
4. "Members". American Academy of Diplomacy. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
5. "Ambassador Roger Kirk". Legacy. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
6. "The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project AMBASSADOR ROGER KIRK" (PDF). Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. 21 May 1991. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Matthew J. Looram, Jr.	U.S. Ambassador to Somalia 1973 – 1975	Succeeded by John L. Loughran
Preceded by John Charles Leary	United States Ambassador to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization 1980-1983	Succeeded by Richard S. Williamson as Ambassador to the United Nations International Organizations in Vienna
Preceded by David B. Funderburk	U.S. Ambassador to Romania 1985 – 1989	Succeeded by Alan Green, Jr.