Frank
E. Baxter, of California, was sworn in as Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the
Oriental Republic of Uruguay in a ceremony held at the U.S.
Department of State in Washington, November 7, 2006
Baxter had been nominated
by President George W. Bush on September 15, 2006 and confirmed
by the U.S. Senate on September 29, 2006.
Ambassador Baxter is to present credentials
to the Government of Uruguay before assuming his post.
Following is a transcript of Ambassador
Baxter's remarks at swearing in ceremony:
State Department
November 7, 2006
FRANK BAXTER: Madame Secretary it is with
a profound sense of humility, awe, and gratitude that I
stand here today. To be included among the great people
who have been sent from this spot to represent our beloved
nation is very humbling. It is also very awesome and very
inspiring.
My strongest feeling today is gratitude,
with an acute awareness of the blessings and grace bestowed
upon me by my creator. I am grateful to have the incredibly
good fortune to have been born in this great nation which
indeed was conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition
that all men are created equal. I am grateful to have been
raised as the first of six children to poor but loving parents.
We had all the advantages of being poor: discovering the
ingenuity to find jobs at an early age, stretch meals, recycle
clothes, repair junk cars, and accept charity with dignity.
In dark times, we were sustained by an important characteristic
of Americans: the confidence that with effort and some luck
a materially richer life is available. Hope and optimism
were our quantum forces. My dad talked about what we would
do when his ship came in, and it always made sense. I am
blessed to still be so close to my five brothers and sisters.
I am grateful to have been born in California where from
the gold rush to the silicon valley the credo is that anything
is possible and the only failure is not starting again.
I am especially grateful to our President
who clearly sees that a primary function of government is
to protect its citizens even when it is not the popular
course to take. I am also deeply grateful to you, Madame
Secretary, who has served us so well. You have given new
meaning to the word “tireless” in your pursuit
of peace with dignity.
I now have a better appreciation for the
process of selecting public servants. The rigor and care
is impressive, along with the opportunities to practice
patience. In every step of the process, from the Presidential
Appointments office, through the investigation, financial
disclosures, the Ambassadorial Seminar, and the ethics officers,
the professionals were tremendously thorough and tremendously
thoughtful. I literally can not thank enough all of the
people throughout the State Department who have gone out
of their way to make the transition from private life as
easy as possible. I do want to single out those at the
Southern Cone Affairs office, especially Chargé Jim Nealon,
Desk Officer Katharine Read, and Post Management Officer,
Tony Syrett. I have gained a tremendous appreciation for
the Foreign Service Officers in the field whom I have met.
These brave women and men frequently have put their lives
on the line in order to represent our country in times of
strife . It is clear that everyone in this department takes
one of the best words in the dictionary very seriously.
That word is service, which is their middle name.
I am also very grateful for the great nation
of Uruguay, represented here today by the honorable Ambassador
Carlos Gianelli. It too is a nation conceived in liberty.
I understand that its brave founding father, Jose Artigas
was an admirer of the U. S. constitution, which is apparent
in the separation of powers in their current constitution.
Uruguay is a nation with strong commitment to democracy
and the rule of law.
I am pleased that with the leadership of
President Tabare Vazquez our commercial relations are so
good. We are Uruguay’s largest customer. A bilateral
investment treaty has just become effective. I am looking
forward to being part of continuing discussions to promote
more trade between our nations.
I am especially looking forward to furthering
Secretary Rice’s concept of Transformational Diplomacy.
I want to put my experience and relationships in business,
education, and the arts at the disposal of the government
and people of Uruguay. However, I also want to remember
that my creator gave me two ears and one mouth for a reason.
I first want to listen carefully and in the words of Steven
Covey, seek first to understand and then to be understood.
I also want to work hard to have our citizens become more
aware of the Uruguayan people, culture and products.
More personally, I am so grateful for our
three offspring Stacey, Matthew, and Katie and our six grandchildren
Vanessa, Nico, Theresa, Joseph, Matoska, and Sienna. An
adult’s primary responsibility is to help succeeding
generations be able to create a better world than they found.
I know our offspring are living up to that goal, and because
of them, I am confident our grandchildren will too.
My greatest gratitude is for my wife Kathy.
After 44 years of marriage I still can’t quite believe
that she chose me. During all of the joys and sorrows of
life she has always been there. Her mind and her heart have
been an accurate compass when the path was not clear. In
our time in Uruguay she will be the greatest ally of mine,
of our country and of Uruguay.
My last service tour for our country
was in the US Air Force starting at age 18. Over 50 years
later, I have the opportunity again, and I will give all
of my heart, soul and energy in that service and to serving
the Oriental Republic of Uruguay. Thank you all for sharing
this moment with me.
(end transcript)
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