The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2003

A Win for the Rule of Law Dean Kaplan was a first-tour officer at Embassy Abuja when he ques- tioned the U.S. government decision to accept the Nigerian govern- ment’s offer to hand over four criminal suspects during a special 48- hour window of opportunity. The handover bypassed judicial extra- dition procedures, and Kaplan was vocal in his opinion that expedien- cy in the area of law enforcement could not be reconciled with the mission’s commitment to help Nigeria build greater respect for the rule of law. His dissent was instrumental in the eventual Washington decision to urge reform toward legal extraditions and not to accept future offers that did not follow legal procedures. By 2002, the first judicial extradition from Nigeria had been accomplished. Kaplan is pictured here (left) in Kaduna, Nigeria. 38 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U LY- A U G U S T 2 0 0 3 ... IN ACTION Refusing to Reverse a Visa Decision This year’s Christian Herter Award for dissent by a senior-level Foreign Service officer was given to four members of the Embassy Moscow Consular Section: Consul General James Warlick, Deputy Consul General June Kinsman, Consul Kim Marie Sonn, and Vice Consul Natasha Franceschi. By refusing to reverse a controversial visa decision, these officers stood firm in their commitment to uphold the law and protect U.S. security interests, in the face of strong pressure to disregard both. Consul General James Warlick (right), is shown here giving Secretary of State Colin Powell a tour of the Embassy Moscow Consular Section, accom- panied by Ambassador Alexander Vershbow. A Lifetime of Advocacy for Foreign Service Families Mette Beecroft is being honored in 2003 with a special AFSA achieve- ment award celebrating over 33 years of service to the Foreign Service community. She has been, and continues to be, a strong and success- ful advocate for Foreign Service families. She played a vital role in the creation of the Family Liaison Office and the broadening of its mission over the years. She is shown here in October 2001, when she was president of the American Associates of the Foreign Service Worldwide, with Mrs. Alma Powell opening the AAFSW Bookfair. Lending a Helping Hand in Greece Bonnie Miller is a psychotherapist and an educator who has been assisting battered women and victims of human trafficking for many years. She is being honored by AFSA for making a difference in the lives of countless women and children in Greece through her courageous work combating human trafficking, and for her work on behalf of children with learning disabilities and the orga- nizations that assist them. She is shown here with her husband, U.S. Ambassador to Greece Tom Miller, at a school for children with physical handicaps in Athens. The Millers arranged for donations of dozens of wheel- chairs for the children of this school.