(Posted October 30, 2000)

With recent actions in Kosovo and the election of Kostunica in Yugoslavia, the aid of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United States interests with NATO have come to the forefront. Charles Skinner, deputy director of the State Department?s Office of European Security and Political Affairs (EUR/RPM), which is responsible for NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), will address the topic "The United States and NATO" at 8:15 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 2 in Good Hall 202 on the Juniata College campus.

Skinner graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina and then earned his doctorate in modern European history from Harvard University. He also studied at Marburg University and the Free University in Berlin. In 1991, Skinner inaugurated the U.S. diplomatic exchange program with Germany and worked with the German Foreign Ministry?s OSCE office during the German presidency of this organization. He has also served at U.S. Embassies in Kingston, Jamaica (1980-82), Belgrade, Yugoslavia (1982-84), and Bonn, Germany (1992-95), and in the State Department on the East German and Berlin desks during German unification (1987-91). From August 1995 until July 1999, Skinner was deputy political advisor for Operations at the U.S. Mission to NATO, holding responsibility for Bosnia, Kosovo, and European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI).

Skinner will be arriving Thursday afternoon and departing Juniata on Saturday. During his stay, Skinner will be speaking to Introduction to International Politics, and Theories of International Politics classes. Skinner will also be dining with the students and will be available Friday afternoon to speak with students about international careers.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.