The Asia Foundation

Karl F. Inderfurth is the John O. Rankin Professor of the Practice of International Affairs and Director of the International Affairs Program at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. He served as Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs (1997-2001), with responsibility for, among other countries in the region, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. He was Special Representative of the President and Secretary of State for Global Humanitarian Demining (1997-1998), and, from 1993 to 1997, served as U.S. Representative for Special Political Affairs to the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador. His portfolio included UN peacekeeping, disarmament and security affairs. During this time, Ambassador Inderfurth also served as Deputy U.S. Representative on the UN Security Council and took part in Council missions to Somalia, Mozambique, Burundi, Rwanda, and Western Sahara. Prior to his presidential appointments, Mr. Inderfurth worked as a national security and later a Moscow Correspondent for ABC News (1981-1991) and received an Emmy Award in 1983.  He also served on the professional staffs of the Senate Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committees and the National Security Council. He is co-author of Fateful Decisions: Inside the National Security Council, published by Oxford University Press in 2004. He received his M.A. from Princeton University, and was a Fulbright Scholar at Strathclyde University in Scotland.