Herbert Stuart Okun

Ambassador Herbert Stuart Okun was in 1999 “the U. S. member of the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board and a Visiting Lecturer on International Law at Yale Law School.

”From 1991-1993 Okun was Special Adviser on Yugoslavia to former U. S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance; he also served as Deputy Co-Chairman of the International Conference on the former Yugoslavia. From 1993-1997 Okun mediated the dispute between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. He also served as Special Adviser to the International Commission on Missing Persons in the former Yugoslavia in 1996-1997.

”From 1990-1997 Okun was the Founding Executive Director of the Financial Services Volunteer Corps, a not-for-profit organization providing voluntary assistance to help establish free-market financial systems in the former communist countries of Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and Asia.

”A recognized authority on Russia, Germany, Eastern Europe, and human rights issues, Okun served in Moscow, Berlin, Munich, Lisbon, Geneva, Naples and Brasilia during a diplomatic career in the U.S. Foreign Service from 1955 to 1991, He speaks French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish,

”Okun was Deputy Permanent Representative and Ambassador to the United Nations from 1985-1989. He represented the U.S. on the Security Council, the Commission on Human Rights, the Disarmament Commission, and other UN bodies.

”From 1980-1983 he was Ambassador to the former German Democratic Republic.

”Between 1978-1980 Okun was Vice

”In the State Department he served as Special Assistant to Secretary William P. Rogers and as Director of the Office of Soviet Affairs,

”Okun was born in New York City. He was awarded a B.A. with great distinction from Stanford and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He has a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Harvard. He served on active duty with the U.S. Army. He is married and has three daughters.”

In 1991 he married Enid Curtis Bok Schoettle.


 * Director Emeriti, European Institute
 * Member, Human Rights Watch Europe and Central Asia Advisory Committee
 * Advisory Board, Institute for Resource and Security Studies