Dennis Ross appointed special U.S. advisor on Gulf

By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. foreign policy veteran Dennis Ross has been appointed special advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the Gulf region, including Iran, and southwest Asia, the State Department announced on Monday.

"This is a region in which America is fighting two wars and facing challenges of ongoing conflict, terror, proliferation, access to energy, economic development and strengthening democracy and the rule of law," State Department spokesman Robert Wood said in a statement announcing the appointment.

Ross, a veteran of Arab-Israeli negotiations when Clinton's husband, Bill Clinton, was president, will advise on both Iran and the broader Middle East region.

The Obama administration is reviewing U.S. policy towards Iran. It is looking into ways of engaging Tehran on a broad range of issues from seeking cooperation in Afghanistan to giving up sensitive nuclear work that the West suspects is aimed at building an atomic bomb.

"We must strive to build support for U.S. goals and policies," said Wood.

U.S. government agencies from the Pentagon and State Department, to the White House and Treasury, are grappling with how to devise a joint approach to curb Iran's nuclear program and Ross's role will be to help coordinate overall policy.

Wood said Ross would offer "strategic advice" and perspective on the region, coordinate new policy approaches and take part in "inter-agency activities."

"Ambassador Ross brings a wealth of experience not just to issues within the region but also to larger political-military challenges that flow from the area and have an impact outside of the Gulf and Southwest Asia, and the secretary looks forward to drawing on that experience and diplomatic perspective," said Wood.