James Pardew: Balkan peacemaker

James Pardew spent 28 years in the US military

The new US envoy to Macedonia, James Pardew, has extensive experience of working to resolve Balkan conflicts.

He played a key role in 1995, when he worked on the Dayton peace deal that ended the three-year Bosnian war.

He was a special adviser to the US defence and state departments for years, and acted as a special assistant to Washington's former envoy to the Balkans, Robert Gelbard.

Pardew will work with the EU envoy Francois Leotard

And following his work on Dayton, former US President Bill Clinton picked him to serve as the US representative for military stabilisation in the Balkans.

Mr Pardew's official title is special adviser for south-east Europe within the Bureau of European Affairs. State Department officials have avoided describing him as a special envoy, but that is essentially what his job is.

"He is well known and knows the Balkans," said State Department spokesman Philip Reeker in announcing the appointment.

Decorated career

Mr Pardew was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and studied journalism at Arkansas State University. He spent 28 years in the military, serving in Vietnam and holding posts in Turkey, Japan and Germany.

He served in the US military's 1992 Operation Restore Hope, aimed at stopping mass starvation in Somalia, and also held top intelligence posts during the collapse of the Soviet Union and the 1991 Gulf War.

He earned various military awards including the Defence Superior Service Medal, two Bronze Stars, the Air Medal, the Department of Defence Medal for Distinguished Civilian Service, and the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal. He has twice been awarded the Legion of Merit.