Departure of “Lawrence of Serbia”

Departure of “Lawrence of Serbia” The U.S. veteran diplomat, whose career was closely tied to Belgrade, Yugoslavia and Serbia, died at the age of 80 on Sunday from pneumonia. Bearing in mind that he was the only career diplomat who became a secretary of state, his death gained great publicity. He became secretary of state toward the end of George H. W. Bush’ term in office. After Bush appointed Secretary of State James Baker to be his campaign advisor ahead of the 1992 elections, Eagleburger first became acting secretary of state, and after a procedure in the Congress, he became the secretary of state in full capacity. He only spent 42 days in office, from December 8, 1992 until January 19, 1993 - when Bill Clinton’s administration took over. Eagleburger started his diplomatic career in Belgrade in 1962 as economic attaché, which allowed him to perfect his Serbian-Croatian. He is remembered as a first foreigner who drove to earthquake-hit Skopje in his own car where he stayed for a while, organizing U.S. aid and setting up a U.S. Army field hospital. It was then that he got his first nickname – Lawrence of Macedonia. His mandate ended in 1965. He was nicknamed Lawrence of Serbia in the early 1990s when American media resented his pro-Serbian orientation in the beginning of Yugoslavia’s dramatic breakdown. It is believed that his arguments contributed to the fact that Washington did not recognize Slovenia and Croatia’s independence before April 1992, even though Slovenia made the declaration in June 1991 and Croatia shortly after. The U.S. administration even opposed sanctions against Yugoslavia until May 1992 when the Croatian town of Vukovar fell after the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) intervention. Eagleburger, former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft and former Ambassadors to Belgrade John Scanlon, along with Ambassador Warren Zimmerman were called “the Belgrade mafia” - because of their sympathy towards Serbia and close ties with her politicians. Eagleburger and Scowcroft used to speak in Serbian during U.S. National Security Council meetings so that others would not be able to understand them. Eagleburger met Slobodan Milosevic while he was still a banker, but admitted later that he had “misjudged" him. As wars in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina raged on he stated that “what is happening to the peoples of Yugoslavia is a tragedy“. “I spent seven years in that country and met different people and places. I have a deep respect and admiration for everybody and I have friends in all republics,“ Eagleburger pointed out then. He the sat on the managing board of the “Yugo America“ project as U.S. representative, and mediated to makes sure that Yugoslavia and its companies received millions of dollars worth of loans from U.S. banks in the wake of the death of Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito. Even though Eagleburger was a Republican, he was appointed ambassador to Yugoslavia by Democrat Jimmy Carter. After Tito's death, Newsweek magazine quoted a State Department official as saying that “the U.S. could not have a better representative in Belgrade during the tense period after Tito's departure“. Lawrence Eagleburger (Tanjug, file) Former U.S. Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger (1931-2011) started his diplomatic career in Yugoslavia and ended it as Serbia’s friend. Milan Misic, Politika "Former U.S. Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger (1931-2011) started his diplomatic career in Yugoslavia and ended it as Serbia’s friend."

Departure of “Lawrence of Serbia”

The U.S. veteran diplomat, whose career was closely tied to Belgrade, Yugoslavia and Serbia, died at the age of 80 on Sunday from pneumonia.

Bearing in mind that he was the only career diplomat who became a secretary of state, his death gained great publicity.

He became secretary of state toward the end of George H. W. Bush’ term in office. After Bush appointed Secretary of State James Baker to be his campaign advisor ahead of the 1992 elections, Eagleburger first became acting secretary of state, and after a procedure in the Congress, he became the secretary of state in full capacity.

He only spent 42 days in office, from December 8, 1992 until January 19, 1993 - when Bill Clinton’s administration took over.

Eagleburger started his diplomatic career in Belgrade in 1962 as economic attaché, which allowed him to perfect his Serbian-Croatian. He is remembered as a first foreigner who drove to earthquake-hit Skopje in his own car where he stayed for a while, organizing U.S. aid and setting up a U.S. Army field hospital.

It was then that he got his first nickname – Lawrence of Macedonia. His mandate ended in 1965.

He was nicknamed Lawrence of Serbia in the early 1990s when American media resented his pro-Serbian orientation in the beginning of Yugoslavia’s dramatic breakdown.

It is believed that his arguments contributed to the fact that Washington did not recognize Slovenia and Croatia’s independence before April 1992, even though Slovenia made the declaration in June 1991 and Croatia shortly after. The U.S. administration even opposed sanctions against Yugoslavia until May 1992 when the Croatian town of Vukovar fell after the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) intervention.

Eagleburger, former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft and former Ambassadors to Belgrade John Scanlon, along with Ambassador Warren Zimmerman were called “the Belgrade mafia” - because of their sympathy towards Serbia and close ties with her politicians.

Eagleburger and Scowcroft used to speak in Serbian during U.S. National Security Council meetings so that others would not be able to understand them.

Eagleburger met Slobodan Milošević while he was still a banker, but admitted later that he had “misjudged" him. As wars in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina raged on he stated that “what is happening to the peoples of Yugoslavia is a tragedy“.

“I spent seven years in that country and met different people and places. I have a deep respect and admiration for everybody and I have friends in all republics,“ Eagleburger pointed out then.

He the sat on the managing board of the “Yugo America“ project as U.S. representative, and mediated to makes sure that Yugoslavia and its companies received millions of dollars worth of loans from U.S. banks in the wake of the death of Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito.

Even though Eagleburger was a Republican, he was appointed ambassador to Yugoslavia by Democrat Jimmy Carter. After Tito's death, Newsweek magazine quoted a State Department official as saying that “the U.S. could not have a better representative in Belgrade during the tense period after Tito's departure“.