Teresa and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Barry Schweid, an Associated Press legend and the longtime dean of the State Department press corps.

While I never had Barry tracking my movements, I knew well of his work.

Whether the beat led him to cover Henry Kissinger's shuttle diplomacy or Jimmy Carter's Camp David accords, I joined countless people around the world in learning the news and the context behind it from Barry's work.

He reported – both in print and on radio – without fear or favor, and with the AP's trademark neutrality. And he had a gift for distilling the complex into the understandable in a way that made his work a must-read not only in Washington, but in London, Moscow, New Delhi, Beijing, and countless other places.

May Barry rest in peace, and may his family - both at home, and in AP bureaus around the globe - take comfort in knowing that Barry's work played a vital role in the public’s understanding of international diplomacy.