Ambassador Jan Kubiš

Ambassador Jan Kubiš, a career diplomat, has considerable experience with the OSCE. From July 1994 to July 1998, he served at the OSCE Secretariat as the Director of the Conflict Prevention Centre, which oversees OSCE operations and Missions in the field.

Under the 1992 Czechoslovak Chairmanship of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (now the OSCE), Ambassador Kubišwas Chairman of the Committee of Senior Officials. As Head of the Security and Arms Control Section of the Czechoslovak Foreign Ministry, he also participated in several key CSCECSCE
Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe negotiations, including the Vienna CFE Mandate talks. From January 1993 to June 1994, Ambassador Kubiš was Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic at the United Nations Office in Geneva. On 15 July 1998, Ambassador Kubiš was awarded the OSCE Medal for his outstanding service to the OSCE. He is the second recipient of the medal.

During 1998-99, Ambassador Kubiš served as Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Tajikistan and Head of the United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan. On 15 June 1999, he took up his post as OSCE Secretary General. In 2000, he served as Special Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office for Central Asia.

Re-appointed in December 2001, he began his second and final term as Secretary General in June 2002, which ended in June 2005.

Ambassador Kubiš was born in Bratislava on 12 November 1952. He was educated at the Moscow State Institute for International Affairs and entered the diplomatic service in 1976. He speaks Slovak, Czech, English, Russian and French. He is the author of numerous articles and statements, primarily on OSCE-related matters.