The Federal Foreign Office Spokesperson would like to announce the following:

Today the Federal Cabinet approved the appointment of Harald Leibrecht MP as the new Coordinator for Transatlantic Cooperation.

On the occasion of Mr Leibrecht’s appointment, Federal Foreign Minister Westerwelle stressed that through his own life Harald Leibrecht epitomized the close and unique relationship between the United States of America and the Federal Republic of Germany. In his new position, Mr Leibrecht will concentrate particularly on deepening intersocietal relations between the US and Germany.

Furthermore, Federal Foreign Minister Westerwelle has also decided that Dr Hans Carl von Werthern, who has held the post of Deputy Director-General responsible for Personnel, will become the new Director-General for Central Services. He will thus be the successor of Dr Harald Braun, who assumed office as one of the two State Secretaries of the Federal Foreign Office on 4 July. Dr von Werthern has held posts at the Embassies in Hanoi, Asunción and Beijing and at the Permanent Delegation of the Federal Republic of Germany to NATO in Brussels.