Former US Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger, the only career diplomat to reach the highest diplomatic service post, died Saturday, the State Department announced. He was 80 years old, dpa reported.
Eaglerburger had served several presidential administrations (Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan) in various diplomatic capacities, the last posting being under former president George Bush senior.
In the summer of 1992 he succeeded James Baker as secretary of state and served up to the end of the Bush administration in January 1993, when president-elect Bill Clinton took office.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Eagleburger's death a "loss for America" and paid tribute to him for having devoted his life to the interests of the country.