Robert Zoellick, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, announced his resignation on Monday, saying he would return to Goldman Sachs, the investment firm where he had worked as a senior international adviser in the 1990s.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stood beside Zoellick at the State Department news conference, calling his departure a matter of "considerable sadness." Advisers said Zoellick, 52, felt he had met the goals he set when he joined the department.
Zoellick had been a central figure in shaping Washington's approach to China, leading strategic talks aimed at integrating Beijing as a responsible participant in global affairs. He also handled U.S. diplomacy on the Darfur conflict in Sudan.
Reports indicated Zoellick had explored positions at Wall Street banks after being passed over for Treasury Secretary. President George W. Bush nominated Henry Paulson to that post last month, choosing him over outgoing Secretary John Snow.
Earlier in his career, as U.S. Trade Representative, Zoellick oversaw China's and Taiwan's accession to the World Trade Organization, helped launch the Doha trade round, and concluded free trade agreements with more than a dozen countries and regional partners.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in June 2006, in its own words.