James Addison Baker State of Residency: Texas Appointment: Jan 25, 1989 Entry on Duty: Jan 25, 1989 Termination of Appointment: Aug 23, 1992 Presidency: Bush

As Secretary of State

• Worked closely with the Soviet foreign minister, Eduard Shevardnadze to arrange the diplomatic formalities governing the Soviet Union's renunciation of control over central and eastern Europe

• Helped form the coalition of countries that fought Iraq in the Persian Gulf War 1991

• Coordinated refief efforts for Kurdish refugees in northern Iraq

• Worked to promote peace between Arab nations and Isreal

• Left the State Department to work on Bush's reelection campaign

Foreign Travels of Secretary of State James Baker

Profile
Born: April 28, 1930
Died:
Married: Mary McHenry Baker (died); Susan Garrett Winston
Education: Princeton University; University of Texas at Austin
Occupation: Lawyer

Government Positions

• Spent two years in the United States Marine Corps.

• Managed unsuccessful campaign for George Bush for the U.S. Senate 1970

• Undersecretary of Commerce in President Ford's administration 1975; resigned from this position

• Chief of Staff in Reagan's administration; credited for having secured passage of Reagan's controversial 1981 tax and budget reform package

• Secretary of Treasury in Reagan's Cabinet 1985-1988

Notable Events