Senior U.S. deal-maker is new Iran envoy

By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - He helped steer talks with Libya that led to a resumption of U.S. ties with Tripoli after nearly a quarter century and now senior diplomat William Burns is Washington's main interlocutor with Iran.

Burns, who as career ambassador holds the highest rank in the U.S. foreign service, will represent Washington in nuclear talks with Iran on Saturday, a sharp departure from U.S. policy that could be a launch point to reduced tensions.

Burns was involved in talks that led Libya to renounce terrorism and give up weapons of mass destruction in 2003, resulting in a thaw in relations and full diplomatic ties that were ultimately restored in May 2006.

"We are trying to make clear to Iran and its people what they stand to gain if they change course," Burns told Congress last week of U.S. efforts with Iran.

In March 2004, Burns, who was then Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs, met Muammar Gaddafi, the highest-level U.S. diplomatic contact with Libya in 24 years, after Tripoli said it would renounce its weapons of mass destruction.

Fellow diplomats point to Burns' experience in such tricky negotiations and say they will serve him well in dealing with the Iranians, with whom Washington broke off ties shortly after the Iranian revolution of 1979.

"Bill Burns is probably and arguably the most respected and effective U.S. diplomat. Period. He is universally acclaimed in the region and within the department and by Republican and Democratic administrations," said Shibley Telhami, a Middle East expert with the University of Maryland.

Burns' mandate is to listen and not negotiate in Saturday's talks, but if Iran suspends its sensitive nuclear work, then the United States has promised to join full-blown negotiations.