H.E. Mrs. Darja Bavdaz Kuret was born on October 23, 1956.  She graduated from the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Ljubljana.
Junior expert responsible for Africa and the Mediterranean, Youth Association (1979–1983); Advisor, Republic Committee for International Cooperation (1984–1987); Republic Committee for International Cooperation, Advisor to the President (1988–1991). Counsellor to the Minister (1991–1992); Head of Department for non-European Countries (1992–1995), Head of Department for Neighbouring States (1999–2000) and Head of the Department for Analyses and Development (2000–2001) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Secretary General (2006–2008) of the Bled Strategic Forum at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Coordinator and Chair of the EU COEST Capitals Working Group (Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus) during Slovenia’s Presidency of the EU Council (2007–2008).
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the State of Israel and Representative to the Palestinian Authority (1995–1999); Ambassador to Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Latvia (2002–2006).
Fluent in English and Croatian, knowledge of Italian and Spanish.

H.E. Mrs. Lidia Gutu was born on August 10, 1954, in Verejeni, Ocnita region.
She obtained a degree in Economics from the Polytechnic University in Moldova. Has specialized in Macroeconomic Analyses and Policy (1993), Social Policies in the New Democratic Countries after the Dissolution of the Soviet Union (1995) and Parliamentarianism for the Development of Democratic Societies (2003) in the Vienna University.
Senior (1981–1975) and Chief (1975–1990) economist in the Social Insurance Section in the Health Ministry. Vice-Minister of Finance (1990–1996). Deputy Chair of the Confederacy of Trade Unions in Moldova (1996–1998). Head of Credits Section at Unionbank (1998–1999). Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova (1999–2001). MP (2001–2006), Chair (until 2005), Committee for Social Protection, Health, and Family.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Romania (2006–2009).

H.E. Mr. Khalnazar Agakhanov was born on February 25, 1952, in Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan. He graduated from the Samarkand Cooperative University (1979).
Deputy Head (1982–1985) and Head (1985–1987) of Trade Department in Ashkhabad; Head of State Trade Inspection Department; First Deputy Chair of Turkmenpotrebsoujz (1987–1991).
Minister of Trade and Resources (1994–1998 and 1991–1994) and Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations (1998–1999).
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Kazakhstan (1999–2000) and to the Russian Federation (since January 2000).
Married, with three children.

H.E. Mrs. Kausar Ahsan Iqbal was born on March 18, 1950. Master Degree in Public Administration, Bachelor Degree in Law.
Expert (1977–1979 and 1983–1985), Head (1985–1987 and 1994–1997) and Director General (2004–2005 and 2007–2008) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Has worked in the diplomatic representation in Brussels (1979–1983), in Jakarta (1987–1991), in Ottawa (1991–1994) and in Cairo (1997–2001). Assistant Secretary for foreign policy (2008–2009). Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Algeria (2001–2004).
Fluent in English.
Married.

H.E. Mrs. Tarja Laitiainen was born on March 21, 1956, in Helsinki. She graduated in political science from the University of Helsinki in 1981.
Has worked in the Department of Political Affairs (1981 and 1986–1988) at Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations in New York (1982). Second Secretary in charge of political and economic matters and Deputy Chief of Mission (1983–1986), Embassy of Finland in Peru and in Bolivia. First Secretary in charge of political affairs, Embassy of Finland in Japan (1988–1992); Deputy Permanent Delegate of Finland to UNESCO, and Press Counsellor at the Embassy of Finland in France (1992–1995). National Expert at the European Commission in Brussels (1996–1998). Director, Asia and Oceania, Ministry for Foreign Affairs (1998–2002). Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Pakistan (2002–2005) and to Luxemburg (2005–2009).
Fluent in English, French, Spanish, Swedish, Italian and German, notions of Japanese.
Married, with two daughters.

H.E. Mr. Karel van Kesteren was born on August 7, 1948, in Elden. He is a graduate of international law from Nijmegen University in the Netherlands (1972).
He joined the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs in 1974 and has held various posts in the institution. Charge d’affaires (1992–1996) and Deputy Chief of Mission (1996–1999) in the Embassy in Madrid. Head of Section at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague working on development finance issues (1999–2000); Director of the United Nations and International Financial Institutions Department (2000–2005) in Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Tanzania (2005–2009).
Married.

H.E. Mr. Anton Pacuretu was born on January 31, 1966, in Bucharest.  He graduated in Philology from the Bucharest University and in Law from the Titu Maiorescu University (1985–1989). Attache (1994–1995), Third (1995–1998), Second (1998–2002), First (2002–2005) Secretary and diplomatic adviser (2005) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Fluent in English, French, Bulgarian and Russian.
Married, with one child.

H.E. Mrs. Sheila M. Camerer was born December 15, 1941. She obtained a degree in Law from the University of Cape Town (1963). Attorney and Prosecutor, Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court (since 1978). Johannesburg City Councillor (1982–1987), MP (1987), Deputy Minister of Justice (1983–1994 and 1996). Deputy Chair and Chair of the Parliamentary Group of the New National Party (since 1994), Chairperson of the Parliamentary Caucus of the Democratic Alliance (August 2000 – October 2001), since October 2003 member of the New National Party.
Married, with two daughters and one son.

H.E. Mr. Matthias Martin Hopfner was born on December 18, 1953, in Potsdam. He obtained a degree in Law (1977) and worked as an attorney (1981–1987). He has been a scientific assistant at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law in Heidelberg (1979–1981). Member of the Bar in Heidelberg (since 1981).
Desk officer for legal and consular affairs in Jakarta (1989–1992), has worked in the Head Office in Bonn (1992–1995). Deputy Ambassador to Tripoli (1995–1997). Head of working group (1997–1998), department head (1998–2002), deputy head of directorate (2002–2006) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ottawa (2006–2009).
Fluent in English and Spanish.
Married, with two children.

H.E. Mr. Aleksandar Crkvenjakov was born on December 13, 1953, in Belgrade. He obtained a degree from the Architecture (1978) and the Organizational Sciences Faculty (1986) of the University in Belgrade. Editor and anchor in Radio Belgrade (1974–1979) and in Belgrade Television (1979–1989), head, editor-in-chief and managing editor (1991–1992) of RTS Channel III. Executive director of the Marketing Department of Credibel Bank (1993–1994).  Freelancer (1995–2001 and 2004–2008), writer and director of various programmes and documentaries, entrepreneur. Author of a number of TV shows, documentaries, educational and commercial films, producer and co-producer of features and serials.
Has publications on the town-planning civil history of Serbia, has designed various expositions and urban furnishings. Author of books.
Visiting professor in the Faculty of Architecture and in the Faculty of Drama Arts of the University in Belgrade and in the Fine Arts Faculty in the University of Megatrend.
Fluent in English and Russian.
Married, with one son.

H.E. Mr. Stavros Amvrosiou was born on April 9, 1953. He obtained a degree in Pedagogy (1974) and in Law (1980) from the Athens University, and a Master Degree in Law (1981) from the London University. Has worked in the Political Relations (1983–1984) and Economic Relations (1996–1997) departments; adviser (1989–1992) and head (2000) of Consular Relations Directorate; Deputy Head, Protocol Directorate (1997–1999) and Head of Protocol (2000), Asia and Oceania (2007–2008) and America directorates (2008–2009) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Second Secretary in the High Commission of Cyprus in India (1984–1989). Charge d’affaires in the Republic of Bulgaria (1992–1996), in the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro (2000). Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro (2000–2004) and to the Czech Republic (2004–2007).
Fluent in Greek, English, and French.
Married, with one daughter.

H.E. Mr. Philippe Beaulne was born on April 1, 1959, in Ottawa. He obtained a degree in Political Sciences from the University in Ottawa (1981).
Desk officer and analyst in Central America Directorate (1985–1987), Deputy Head of Western and Central Africa Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1999–2001). Head of Francophone Affairs Directorate in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (2005–2009).
Third Secretary at the Embassy in Haiti (1983–1985), First Secretary and Consul at the Embassy in Senegal (1993–1995), First Secretary at the Embassy  in France (1989–1993). Counsellor at the Embassy in Haiti (1996–1999). Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Guinea accredited to Sierra Leone (2001–2005).
Fluent in French, English, Spanish and Creole.
Married, with three children.