Philip C. Habib
Amb. Philip Habib | |
|---|---|
Habib in Lebanon in December 1982 | |
| 9th Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs | |
| In office July 1, 1976 – April 1, 1978 | |
| President | Gerald Ford Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Joseph J. Sisco |
| Succeeded by | David D. Newsom |
| 12th Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs | |
| In office September 27, 1974 – June 30, 1976 | |
| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Robert S. Ingersoll |
| Succeeded by | Arthur W. Hummel Jr. |
| 9th United States Ambassador to South Korea | |
| In office October 10, 1971 – August 19, 1974 | |
| President | Richard Nixon Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | William J. Porter |
| Succeeded by | Richard Sneider |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Philip Charles Habib February 25, 1920 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 25, 1992 (aged 72) Puligny-Montrachet, France |
| Resting place | Golden Gate National Cemetery |
| Spouse |
Marjorie W. Slightam
(m. 1943) |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Residence | Belmont, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Idaho (B.S.) UC Berkeley (Ph.D.) |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
| Known for | Shuttle diplomacy |
| Awards |
|
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Service years | 1942–1946 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Conflict | World War II |
Philip Charles Habib (February 25, 1920 – May 25, 1992) was an American career diplomat active from 1949 to 1987.
During his 30-year career as a Foreign Service Officer, he had mostly specialized in Asia. In 1968, he was working to prevent the escalation of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.
Habib later became known for his work as Ronald Reagan's special envoy to the Middle East from 1981 to 1983. In that role, he negotiated numerous cease-fire agreements between the various parties involved in the Lebanese Civil War.
He came out of retirement to take two assignments as U.S. special envoy; one to the Philippines in 1986, and another to Central America in 1986–87. In the latter assignment, he helped Costa Rican president Oscar Arias propose a peace plan to end the region's civil wars.
Habib was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1982—the highest official honor given to a U.S. citizen by the U.S. government.