Matthew Nimetz
Encyclopedia
Matthew Nimetz is an American diplomat.
He is the United Nations
Special Representative for the naming dispute
between Greece
and the Republic of Macedonia
.
Nimetz was born in New York City
and educated at Williams College
where he received a B.A.
in 1960. He subsequently was a Rhodes Scholar and received a B.A. from Balliol College, Oxford
in 1962. He got his LL.B.
from Harvard Law School
in 1965., where he was President of the Harvard Law Review. He returned to Balliol for a M.A., granted 1966.
He served as law clerk to Supreme Court
Justice
John Marshall Harlan II
from 1965 to 1967, before serving as a staff assistant to US President
Lyndon B. Johnson
until 1969. He worked with the New York City law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
as an associate from 1969 to 1973 and partner from 1974 to 1977. He also directed the transition of Governor-Elect Hugh Carey of New York in 1974-5, and was a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and member of the New York Health Advisory Council from 1975 to 1977.
In January 1977 Nimetz was appointed by President Jimmy Carter
as Counselor of the United States Department of State
. In that capacity he provided advice to Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and had special responsibilities in connection with the Cyprus issue, Eastern Mediterrean issues including Greek-Turkish disputes, implementation of the Helsinki Final Act and other issues involving Eastern/Central Europe, U.S.-Mexican border issues, the Micronesian status negotiations, and other matters. In December 1979, he was promoted to the post of Under Secretary for Security Assistance, Science and Technology. He was responsible for the supervision of United States security assistance programs and the implementation of the State Department's international scientific and technological programs. These included areas such as scientific and technical cooperation, nuclear nonproliferation issues, environmental matters, and the US Government's international communications activities. He was also responsible for supervising US policy on the eastern Mediterranean and eastern European countries.
After the end of the Carter Administration in January 1981, Nimetz returned to the private sector. He became a partner in the New York law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
, where he concentrated in corporate and international law. He moved to the private equity investment firm General Atlantic
in January 2000, where he is a managing director and Chief Operating Officer. In May 2007 he was again appointed as a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York by Governor Elliott Spitzer but, upon the resignation of Governor Spitzer, his nomination was not acted upon for confirmation by the State Senate.
From March 1994 to September 1995, he served as President Bill Clinton
's Special Envoy to mediate the resolution of the Macedonia naming dispute. This effort culimated in the signing of the Interim Agreement of September 13, 1995 by Greece and the Republic of Macedonia at the United Nations which resolved many of the issues between the two countries. He became a deputy to Cyrus Vance
, a former United States Secretary of State
who served as Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary General in the talks on the remaining open issues in the dispute, in particular the name of the country. He chaired those talks from November 1997 onwards -- as that Personal Envoy, from Vance's resignation from that position in December 1999, appointed in turn by Kofi Annan
and Ban Ki-moon
.
Nimetz has been a director of The Nature Conservancy of New York, trustee and founding chair of World Resources Institute, trustee emeritus of Williams College, trustee of Central European University, Budapest, and of the Committee for Economic Development.
, he is an advisory director of The Levin Institute of the University of the State of New York, and a member and founding (former) chair of the Centre for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeastern Europe.
He is 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...
Special Representative for the naming dispute
Macedonia naming dispute
A diplomatic dispute over the use of the name Macedonia has been an ongoing issue in the bilateral relations between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia since the latter became independent from former Yugoslavia in 1991...
between Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
.
Nimetz was born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and educated at Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
where he received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1960. He subsequently was a Rhodes Scholar and received a B.A. from Balliol College, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
in 1962. He got his LL.B.
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1965., where he was President of the Harvard Law Review. He returned to Balliol for a M.A., granted 1966.
He served as law clerk to Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
Justice
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States...
John Marshall Harlan II
John Marshall Harlan II
John Marshall Harlan was an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 1955 to 1971. His namesake was his grandfather John Marshall Harlan, another associate justice who served from 1877 to 1911.Harlan was a student at Upper Canada College and Appleby College and...
from 1965 to 1967, before serving as a staff assistant to US President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
until 1969. He worked with the New York City law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is a law firm headquartered in New York City which employs over 800 attorneys in ten offices worldwide. The firm is highly regarded for its litigation and corporate practices, with special attention focused on its mergers and acquisitions specialty...
as an associate from 1969 to 1973 and partner from 1974 to 1977. He also directed the transition of Governor-Elect Hugh Carey of New York in 1974-5, and was a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and member of the New York Health Advisory Council from 1975 to 1977.
In January 1977 Nimetz was appointed by President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
as Counselor of the United States Department of State
Counselor of the United States Department of State
The Counselor of the United States Department of State is a position within the United States Department of State that serves the Secretary of State as a special advisor and consultant on major problems of foreign policy and who provides guidance to the appropriate bureaus with respect to such...
. In that capacity he provided advice to Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and had special responsibilities in connection with the Cyprus issue, Eastern Mediterrean issues including Greek-Turkish disputes, implementation of the Helsinki Final Act and other issues involving Eastern/Central Europe, U.S.-Mexican border issues, the Micronesian status negotiations, and other matters. In December 1979, he was promoted to the post of Under Secretary for Security Assistance, Science and Technology. He was responsible for the supervision of United States security assistance programs and the implementation of the State Department's international scientific and technological programs. These included areas such as scientific and technical cooperation, nuclear nonproliferation issues, environmental matters, and the US Government's international communications activities. He was also responsible for supervising US policy on the eastern Mediterranean and eastern European countries.
After the end of the Carter Administration in January 1981, Nimetz returned to the private sector. He became a partner in the New York law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is a law firm headquartered on Sixth Avenue in New York City. The firm has well-noted expertise in its corporate, personal representation, entertainment law and litigation practices, having long been a leader among national litigation firms...
, where he concentrated in corporate and international law. He moved to the private equity investment firm General Atlantic
General Atlantic
General Atlantic is a private equity investment firm. The firm invests through growth capital injections, control buyouts, industry consolidations, build-ups, recapitalizations, and PIPEs...
in January 2000, where he is a managing director and Chief Operating Officer. In May 2007 he was again appointed as a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York by Governor Elliott Spitzer but, upon the resignation of Governor Spitzer, his nomination was not acted upon for confirmation by the State Senate.
From March 1994 to September 1995, he served as 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...
's Special Envoy to mediate the resolution of the Macedonia naming dispute. This effort culimated in the signing of the Interim Agreement of September 13, 1995 by Greece and the Republic of Macedonia at the United Nations which resolved many of the issues between the two countries. He became a deputy to Cyrus Vance
Cyrus Vance
Cyrus Roberts Vance was an American lawyer and United States Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1980...
, a former United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
who served as Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary General in the talks on the remaining open issues in the dispute, in particular the name of the country. He chaired those talks from November 1997 onwards -- as that Personal Envoy, from Vance's resignation from that position in December 1999, appointed in turn by Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
and Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
.
Nimetz has been a director of The Nature Conservancy of New York, trustee and founding chair of World Resources Institute, trustee emeritus of Williams College, trustee of Central European University, Budapest, and of the Committee for Economic Development.
, he is an advisory director of The Levin Institute of the University of the State of New York, and a member and founding (former) chair of the Centre for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeastern Europe.