AP names foreign affairs reporter Desmond Butler as chief correspondent for Turkey

LONDON – Desmond Butler, an AP foreign affairs reporter based in Washington, has been named chief correspondent in Istanbul, Turkey, for The Associated Press.

The appointment was announced Tuesday by Niko Price, the AP's Europe Editor.

"As the recent wave of protests has shown, Turkey is grappling with fundamental issues in ways that will make it a fascinating story for years to come," Price said. "Desmond has done great work developing sources in Washington, and we're excited about the energy he will bring to breaking news in Turkey."

Butler, 40, joined the AP in 2004 as a reporter in the news cooperative's New York City bureau. In 2006, he transferred to Washington, where he has covered international affairs with a focus on Europe. He has written extensively on nuclear proliferation and arms control.

Prior to joining the AP, Butler was a Berlin-based reporter for The New York Times, investigating European cells of al-Qaida following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Butler graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor's degree and earned a master's degree from Oxford University.