Thomas R. Pickering
Encyclopedia
Thomas Reeve "Tom" Pickering (born November 5, 1931), is a retired United States ambassador
. Among his many diplomatic appointments, he served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations from 1989 to 1992.
, Pickering is the son of Hamilton Reeve Pickering, and Sarah Chasteney Pickering. He graduated from Rutherford High School in Rutherford, New Jersey
.
in Brunswick, Maine
in 1949 with plans to join the ministry and graduated cum laude in 1953 with high honors in history and is a member of Theta Delta Chi
and Phi Beta Kappa
. He then earned a Master's degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University
in Medford, Massachusetts
. Upon graduation from Tufts, he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship
and attended the University of Melbourne
in Australia
where he received a second masters degree in 1956. In addition to the honorary doctorate-in-laws degree that Bowdoin awarded him in 1984, Pickering has been the recipient of 12 honorary degrees.
Before joining the State Department, Pickering served on active duty in the United States Navy
from 1956 to 1959, and later served in the Naval Reserve where he reached the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
included ambassadorships in Russia
(1993–1996), India
(1992–1993), United Nations (1989–1992), Israel
(1985–1988), El Salvador
(1983–1985), Nigeria
(1981–1983), and Jordan
(1974–1978). Additionally, he served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs from 1997 to 2000. He holds the distinction of Career Ambassador, the highest in the U.S. Foreign Service.
and later as Special Assistant to Secretaries of State William P. Rogers
and Henry Kissinger
. When Pickering served as United States Ambassador to Jordan
in the mid-1970s, King Hussein declared him “the best American ambassador I’ve dealt with.” From 1978 to 1981, he served as Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. He the spent time as the United States Ambassador to Nigeria
before President Ronald Reagan
surprisingly replaced the Ambassador to El Salvador
, Deane R. Hinton
, and put Pickering in his place.
Pickering’s time as United States Ambassador to El Salvador
was particularly eventful. Only a year after having been appointed ambassador in 1984, Pickering was the subject of assassination threats from right wing Salvadoran politicians. The same year, Republican Senator Jesse Helms
of North Carolina
urged that Pickering be dismissed, arguing that he helped manipulate the country’s elections. In both cases, President Ronald Reagan
offered Pickering his full support and he secured him a job as United States Ambassador to Israel
after his appointment in El Salvador. It was later noted when he was nominated as US Ambassador to the United Nations that Pickering played a minor role in the Iran-Contra affair
while Ambassador to El Salvador.
As Ambassador to Israel, Pickering led the United States’ criticism of an Israeli policy that expelled Palestinians accused of instilling uprising. Pickering stressed to Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir
that the United States considered the actions illegal and unhelpful for peace efforts.
was approved almost unanimously in the United State Senate in 1989 with no dissentions and only one abstention. Pickering played a critical role as Ambassador during the First Gulf War, when Pickering helped lead the United Nations Security Council
’s response to Iraq
’s invasion of Kuwait
. Bush’s decision to move Pickering from the United Nations
to become the United States Ambassador to India
was highly criticized given Pickering’s successful tenure. The New York Times declared that Pickering was “arguably the best-ever U.S. representative to that body” and that the move was made simply because he overshadowed Secretary of State James A. Baker during the Persian Gulf Crisis. Pickering’s last ambassadorial appointment was made by President Bill Clinton
who designated him United States Ambassador to Russia.
Following the resignation of Secretary of State Warren Christopher
in 1996, Pickering was reportedly a top contender for the post, but was ultimately passed over in favor of then-UN Ambassador Madeleine Albright
.
From 1997 to 2001, Pickering served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
, the number three position at the State Department
. When Albright appointed him to the post, Time Magazine declared him the "five star general of the diplomatic corps".
until 2006. Currently he is serving as independent board member at the worlds biggest pipe company, OAO TMK
, in Moscow. Currently, he is affiliated with the International Crisis Group
, and oversees their international actions as a co-chair. In addition, he is Chairman of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Chairman of the American Academy of Diplomacy
and a member of the Board of Advisors of the National Bureau of Asian Research
and the Global Panel Foundation based in Berlin and Prague.
Following his retirement, the U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program was renamed the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship
Program to honor Pickering. Fellowships are funded by the U.S. Department of State, and administered by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
(WWNFF). Also, in May 2004, Bowdoin awarded Pickering the Bowdoin Prize, the highest award that the College bestows upon its graduates.
He serves on the board of directors for CRDF Global and the American Iranian Council
, an organization devoted to the normalization of relations between Iran and America. He is currently a member of the Constitution Project
's bipartisan Liberty and Security Committee. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
and Henry L. Stimson Center
board of directors as well as the Advisory Board of Eurasia Group
, the political risk consultancy firm. He serves on the Guiding Coalition of the nonpartisan Project on National Security Reform
.
with his wife, the former Alice Jean Stover, whom he married in 1955, and has two children, Timothy and Margaret.
He is fluent in the French, Spanish, and Swahili languages and has a working knowledge of Russian, Hebrew, and Arabic.
Ambassadors from the United States
This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to individual nations of the world, to international organizations, to past nations, and ambassadors-at-large.Ambassadors are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate...
. Among his many diplomatic appointments, he served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations from 1989 to 1992.
Early life
Born in Orange, New JerseyOrange, New Jersey
The City of Orange is a city and township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 30,134...
, Pickering is the son of Hamilton Reeve Pickering, and Sarah Chasteney Pickering. He graduated from Rutherford High School in Rutherford, New Jersey
Rutherford, New Jersey
Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 18,061. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
.
Education and Service in the Navy
He began attending Bowdoin CollegeBowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
in Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
in 1949 with plans to join the ministry and graduated cum laude in 1953 with high honors in history and is a member of Theta Delta Chi
Theta Delta Chi
Theta Delta Chi is a social fraternity that was founded in 1847 at Union College. While nicknames differ from institution to institution, the most common nicknames for the fraternity are Theta Delt, Thete, TDX, and TDC. Theta Delta Chi brothers refer to their local organization as Charges rather...
and Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
. He then earned a Master's degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
in Medford, Massachusetts
Medford, Massachusetts
Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States, on the Mystic River, five miles northwest of downtown Boston. In the 2010 U.S. Census, Medford's population was 56,173...
. Upon graduation from Tufts, he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...
and attended the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where he received a second masters degree in 1956. In addition to the honorary doctorate-in-laws degree that Bowdoin awarded him in 1984, Pickering has been the recipient of 12 honorary degrees.
Before joining the State Department, Pickering served on active duty in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
from 1956 to 1959, and later served in the Naval Reserve where he reached the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
Diplomatic career
His four decade long career in Foreign ServiceUnited States Foreign Service
The United States Foreign Service is a component of the United States federal government under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of approximately 11,500 professionals carrying out the foreign policy of the United States and aiding U.S...
included ambassadorships in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(1993–1996), India
United States Ambassador to India
American Embassy New Delhi was established Nov 1, 1946, with George R. Merrell as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.-Chiefs of Mission to India:-See also:*Embassy of India, Washington, D.C.*India – United States relations*Foreign relations of India...
(1992–1993), United Nations (1989–1992), Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
(1985–1988), El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
(1983–1985), Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
(1981–1983), and Jordan
United States Ambassador to Jordan
The following is a chief of mission from the United States to Jordan.The first chief of mission, Gerald A. Drew held the title of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. The second chief of mission, Joseph C...
(1974–1978). Additionally, he served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs from 1997 to 2000. He holds the distinction of Career Ambassador, the highest in the U.S. Foreign Service.
Early Career to Israel
Early in his career, he was assigned to the U.S. embassy in TanzaniaTanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
and later as Special Assistant to Secretaries of State William P. Rogers
William P. Rogers
William Pierce Rogers was an American politician, who served as a Cabinet officer in the administrations of two U.S. Presidents in the third quarter of the 20th century.-Early Life :...
and Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
. When Pickering served as United States Ambassador to Jordan
United States Ambassador to Jordan
The following is a chief of mission from the United States to Jordan.The first chief of mission, Gerald A. Drew held the title of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. The second chief of mission, Joseph C...
in the mid-1970s, King Hussein declared him “the best American ambassador I’ve dealt with.” From 1978 to 1981, he served as Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. He the spent time as the United States Ambassador to Nigeria
United States Ambassador to Nigeria
-Ambassadors:*Joseph Palmer II - Career FSO**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary**Appointment: September 23, 1960**Presentation of Credentials: October 4, 1960...
before President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
surprisingly replaced the Ambassador to El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Deane R. Hinton
Deane R. Hinton
Deane Roesch Hinton is a career U.S. diplomat and ambassador.-Biography:Hinton was born 12 March 1923 in Fort Missoula, Montana. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1943 and joined the U. S. Army, serving as a 2nd Lt. during World War II...
, and put Pickering in his place.
Pickering’s time as United States Ambassador to El Salvador
United States Ambassador to El Salvador
The following is a list of United States Ambassadors, or other Chiefs of Mission, to El Salvador. The title given by the United States State Department to this position is currently Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.-Chiefs of Mission:...
was particularly eventful. Only a year after having been appointed ambassador in 1984, Pickering was the subject of assassination threats from right wing Salvadoran politicians. The same year, Republican Senator Jesse Helms
Jesse Helms
Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr. was a five-term Republican United States Senator from North Carolina who served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 1995 to 2001...
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
urged that Pickering be dismissed, arguing that he helped manipulate the country’s elections. In both cases, President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
offered Pickering his full support and he secured him a job as United States Ambassador to Israel
United States Ambassador to Israel
The United States Ambassador to Israel is the official representative of the President of the United States to the head of state of Israel.Until 1948 the area that is now the state of Israel had been under British administration as part of the League of Nations/United Nations British Mandate for...
after his appointment in El Salvador. It was later noted when he was nominated as US Ambassador to the United Nations that Pickering played a minor role in the Iran-Contra affair
Iran-Contra Affair
The Iran–Contra affair , also referred to as Irangate, Contragate or Iran-Contra-Gate, was a political scandal in the United States that came to light in November 1986. During the Reagan administration, senior Reagan administration officials and President Reagan secretly facilitated the sale of...
while Ambassador to El Salvador.
As Ambassador to Israel, Pickering led the United States’ criticism of an Israeli policy that expelled Palestinians accused of instilling uprising. Pickering stressed to Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir
Yitzhak Shamir
' is a former Israeli politician, the seventh Prime Minister of Israel, in 1983–84 and 1986–92.-Biography:Icchak Jeziernicky was born in Ruzhany , Russian Empire . He studied at a Hebrew High School in Białystok, Poland. As a youth he joined Betar, the Revisionist Zionist youth movement...
that the United States considered the actions illegal and unhelpful for peace efforts.
United Nations and on
President George H.W. Bush’s appointment of Pickering as United States Ambassador to the United NationsUnited States Ambassador to the United Nations
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations is the leader of the U.S. delegation, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. The position is more formally known as the "Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador...
was approved almost unanimously in the United State Senate in 1989 with no dissentions and only one abstention. Pickering played a critical role as Ambassador during the First Gulf War, when Pickering helped lead the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
’s response to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
’s invasion of Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. Bush’s decision to move Pickering from the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
to become the United States Ambassador to India
United States Ambassador to India
American Embassy New Delhi was established Nov 1, 1946, with George R. Merrell as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.-Chiefs of Mission to India:-See also:*Embassy of India, Washington, D.C.*India – United States relations*Foreign relations of India...
was highly criticized given Pickering’s successful tenure. The New York Times declared that Pickering was “arguably the best-ever U.S. representative to that body” and that the move was made simply because he overshadowed Secretary of State James A. Baker during the Persian Gulf Crisis. Pickering’s last ambassadorial appointment was made by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
who designated him United States Ambassador to Russia.
Following the resignation of Secretary of State Warren Christopher
Warren Christopher
Warren Minor Christopher was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician. During Bill Clinton's first term as President, Christopher served as the 63rd Secretary of State. He also served as Deputy Attorney General in the Lyndon Johnson administration, and as Deputy Secretary of State in the Jimmy...
in 1996, Pickering was reportedly a top contender for the post, but was ultimately passed over in favor of then-UN Ambassador Madeleine Albright
Madeleine Albright
Madeleine Korbelová Albright is the first woman to become a United States Secretary of State. She was appointed by U.S. President Bill Clinton on December 5, 1996, and was unanimously confirmed by a U.S. Senate vote of 99–0...
.
From 1997 to 2001, Pickering served as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
Under Secretary for Political Affairs
The Under Secretary for Political Affairs is the third ranking position in the United States Department of State, after the Secretary and the Deputy Secretaries...
, the number three position at the State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
. When Albright appointed him to the post, Time Magazine declared him the "five star general of the diplomatic corps".
After the State Department
Following his retirement from the Foreign Service in 2001, Pickering served as Senior Vice President for International Relations at BoeingBoeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
until 2006. Currently he is serving as independent board member at the worlds biggest pipe company, OAO TMK
OAO TMK
OAO "TMK" is one of the world's leading producers of steel pipes for the oil and gas sector...
, in Moscow. Currently, he is affiliated with the International Crisis Group
International Crisis Group
The International Crisis Group is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization whose mission is to prevent and resolve deadly conflicts around the world through field-based analyses and high-level advocacy.-History:...
, and oversees their international actions as a co-chair. In addition, he is Chairman of the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Chairman of the American Academy of Diplomacy
American Academy of Diplomacy
The American Academy of Diplomacy is a private, non-profit, non-partisan, elected organization whose active membership is limited to men and women who have held positions of high responsibility in crafting and implementing American foreign policy...
and a member of the Board of Advisors of the National Bureau of Asian Research
National Bureau of Asian Research
The National Bureau of Asian Research is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institution based in Seattle, Washington, with a branch office in Washington, D.C. The organization’s mission is to inform and strengthen Asia-Pacific policy...
and the Global Panel Foundation based in Berlin and Prague.
Following his retirement, the U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program was renamed the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship
Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship
The U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program was renamed the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program to honor one of the most distinguished and capable American diplomats of the latter half of the 20th century. Thomas R...
Program to honor Pickering. Fellowships are funded by the U.S. Department of State, and administered by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation is a private non-profit foundation based in Princeton, New Jersey. It administers programs that support leadership development and build organizational capacity in education. Its current signature program is the...
(WWNFF). Also, in May 2004, Bowdoin awarded Pickering the Bowdoin Prize, the highest award that the College bestows upon its graduates.
He serves on the board of directors for CRDF Global and the American Iranian Council
American Iranian Council
The American-Iranian Council was formed in 1997 as a bi-partisan think tank focused upon promoting better relations between the United States and Iran. Former United States Secretary of State Cyrus Vance was the original honorary Chair of the organization...
, an organization devoted to the normalization of relations between Iran and America. He is currently a member of the Constitution Project
Constitution Project
The Constitution Project is an non-profit think tank in the United States that builds bipartisan consensus on significant constitutional and legal questions. Founded and led by Virginia Sloan, the Constitution Project’s work is divided between two programs: the Rule of Law Program and the Criminal...
's bipartisan Liberty and Security Committee. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
and Henry L. Stimson Center
Henry L. Stimson Center
The Henry L. Stimson Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan global security think tank based in Washington, DC. Its stated mission is to urge "pragmatic steps toward the ideal objectives of international peace and security." Stimson pursues its vision by conducting independent analysis and offering...
board of directors as well as the Advisory Board of Eurasia Group
Eurasia Group
-Overview:Eurasia Group is best known as the world's largest political risk consultancy with offices in New York, Washington, London, and Tokyo and more than 125 full-time employees...
, the political risk consultancy firm. He serves on the Guiding Coalition of the nonpartisan Project on National Security Reform
Project on National Security Reform
The Project on National Security Reform is a nonpartisan non-profit organization mandated by the United States Congress to recommend improvements to the U.S. national security system. Advocates of reform of the U.S...
.
Personal life
He lives in Fairfax County, VirginiaFairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
with his wife, the former Alice Jean Stover, whom he married in 1955, and has two children, Timothy and Margaret.
He is fluent in the French, Spanish, and Swahili languages and has a working knowledge of Russian, Hebrew, and Arabic.
External links
- Thomas Reeve Pickering (1931 - ) U.S. Department of State Office of the Historian
- Thomas T. Pickering at The American Academy of Diplomacy
- Charting the Future of U.S.-India Relations, June 2011 interview with Ambassador Thomas Pickering
- Video (with audio available) conversations with Pickering on Bloggingheads.tvBloggingheads.tvBloggingheads.tv is a political, world events, philosophy, and science video blog discussion site in which the participants take part in an active back and forth conversation via webcam which is then broadcast online to viewers...
- Interview with Thomas R. Pickering in Spanish newspaper El País on 12 Juli 2009