New US envoy makes courtesy call on acting DFA chief

Following his arrival in the country, new US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. made a courtesy call on acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Esteban Conejos Jr. Monday. But the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thomas would formally assume post as US Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Philippines after presenting his credentials to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. "Acting Secretary Conejos and Ambassador Thomas had a cordial and pleasant exchange on a range of subjects. Acting Secretary Conejos told Ambassador Thomas that the Philippine Government looks forward to working with him after he has presented his credentials to President Arroyo," the DFA said on its Web site. Thomas arrived Saturday night aboard a Delta Airlines (Northwest) flight and received a welcome from US Embassy officials and staff headed by charge d’ affaires Leslie Bassett. He speaks Spanish, Hindi and Bangla and is learning Filipino. The new envoy graduated from the College of the Holy Cross and pursued further study at Columbia University. Thomas noted his father Harry Thomas Sr. visited the Philippines after World War II. US President Barack Obama II appointed him on November 19 last year. He is the first African-American US envoy to Manila. Thomas served as director general of the US Foreign Service and director for human resources of the State Department. He served as a special assistant to the Secretary and Executive Secretary of the Department. He joined the Foreign Service in 1984 and served as US ambassador to Bangladesh from 2003 to 2005. He also served in the White House as the Director for South Asia at the National Security Council from 2001 to 2002. Thomas’ other postings include New Delhi; Harare, Zimbabwe; Kaduna, Nigeria; and Lima, Peru. - KBK, GMANews.TV