Bertrand de Crombrugghe has a Master of Arts in International Relations, Johns Hopkins University, Washington and a Licence in Law from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven/University of Namur. His diplomatic career includes numerous distinguished posts. Most recently he was Ambassador of Belgium in Moscow, (2008 – 2009); Permanent Representative of Belgium to the OSCE in Vienna (2003 – 2008) including the OSCE Chairmanship-in- Office of Belgium in 2006. Between 2001 and 2003 he was Counsellor in the Office of Vice-Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Louis Michel, in charge of Common Foreign and Security Policy, with focus on Transatlantic relations and relations with Central and Eastern Europe.