PORTLAND (AP) — The new top U.S. diplomat for Libya is a Maine resident and Bowdoin College graduate.
Laurence Pope has arrived in the country to assume temporary control of the embassy in Tripoli after last month’s deadly attack on the consulate in Benghazi that killed the ambassador and three other Americans.
The State Department said that Pope, an Arabic-speaking 31-year foreign service officer who retired in 2000, will serve as the charge d’affaires pending confirmation of the person who will be nominated to succeed Ambassador Chris Stevens, who died in the Sept. 11 attack.
The department said Pope, a former ambassador to Chad and counter-terrorism director, would continue the work that Stevens had been doing.
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree says Pope lives in Portland.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less