Godfrey, Anthony F. – Republic of Serbia – July 2019

REPORT FOR THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

UNITED STATES SENATE

SUBJECT:            Ambassadorial Nomination:  Certificate of Demonstrated Competence — Foreign Service Act, Section 304(a)(4)

POST:                  Republic of Serbia

CANDIDATE:     Anthony F. Godfrey

Anthony F. Godfrey, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister Counselor, has served since 2015 as Political Minister Counselor, and then Deputy Chief of Mission, at U.S. Embassy Moscow, Russia.  He was Director of Iraq Affairs in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the Department of State 2013-2015, and Political Minister Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad 2012-2013.  During almost 40 years of service in the U.S. Navy and the Foreign Service, Mr. Godfrey has become expert in central and southern European affairs.  His in-depth regional knowledge, interagency experience, and demonstrated ability to engage productively on sensitive and complex policy issues and priorities, make him well qualified to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Serbia.

Mr. Godfrey was Director for Turkey and Eurasian Energy at the National Security Council, 2011-2012, and Political-Military Affairs Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, 2008-2011.  He was Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. Embassy Yerevan, Armenia, 2004-2007, and Political Officer at U.S. Embassy Zagreb, Croatia, 2001-2004.  He was International Affairs Officer in the Office of Russian Affairs, Bureau of European and Eurasian affairs, 1998-2000, and Deputy Head of Group, OSCE Assistance Group, in Chechnya, Grozny, Russia, 1996-1997.  His U.S. Navy service, 1980-1992, included tours in Turkey and Japan, and he studied Russian at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California.   His final military assignment was four years with the On-Site Inspection Agency, working to verify Soviet implementation of arms control agreements.

Mr. Godfrey earned a B.A. with Highest Honors at the University of California at Davis.  His numerous awards include the 2018 James A. Baker III DCM of the Year Award.  He speaks Russian, Serbo-Croatian and Turkish.