Ursula Plassnik

Ursula Plassnik (born May 23 1956 in Klagenfurt) is an Austrian diplomat and politician. She has been Foreign Minister of Austria since October 2004.

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Plassnik is from the Austrian state of Carinthia and grew up in a social democratic family. 1971 to 1972 she was exchange student at the Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Virginia, USA. She received a law degree from the University of Vienna in 1977 and worked thereafter in different positions in the Austrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs until 1997. Until that time she was was considered to be politically neutral or even social-democratic. July 1 1997 she was chosen by Wolfgang Sch?ssel, who was Austrian vice-chancellor at that time, to become his cabinet chief. In 2000 she refused an offer to work for the Council of Europe in order to stay in Austria and help Wolfgang Sch?ssel when he became Austrian Chancellor in a coalition government with the Austrian Freedom Party. She is considered to be a close friend and confidante to Sch?ssel. She remained cabinet chief in Sch?ssel's government until January 15 2004, then she served as Austria's ambassador to Switzerland.

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She was appointed foreign minister on October 18 2004, and sworn in on October 20 succeeding Benita Ferrero-Waldner, who resigned to become a European commissioner. She joined the Austrian People's Party not until this offer to become foreign minister.

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Plassnik has been married twice. Her first marriage was to Georg Posch, a social democrat politician. Her second marriage was to Swiss diplomat Gerard Stoudman.

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May 23: May 23 is the 143rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (144th in leap years). There are 222 days remaining....

1956: 1956 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar....

Klagenfurt: Klagenfurt is the capital of the federal state of Austrian Carinthia (German K?rnten), in Austria, on the Glan River. It is located at . First habitated in the 12th century, it currently has a population of approximately 90,000....

Ursula Plassnik related Images and Photos (experimental)

Ursula Andress	The Legend of St. Ursula c.1530	St. Ursula and Prince Etherius Making a Solemn Vow to Each Other	The Martyrdom of St. Ursula Early 17th Century
Trinity with Saints Ursula and Margaret Detail	Trinity with Saints Ursula and Margaret	The Veneration of St. Ursula Before 1482	The Engagement of St. Ursula and Prince Etherius Detail of the Black Musicians circa 1520
Anne of Brittany with St. Anne St. Ursula and St. Helen	Army and Battlefield Altarpiece Martyrdom and Execution of St. Ursula and Companions