ANKARA 

US President-elect Joe Biden on Monday announced former Deputy Secretary of State William Burns as his nominee for CIA director.

"Bill Burns is an exemplary diplomat with decades of experience on the world stage keeping our people and our country safe and secure. He shares my profound belief that intelligence must be apolitical and that the dedicated intelligence professionals serving our nation deserve our gratitude and respect," Biden said in a statement.

"Ambassador Burns will bring the knowledge, judgment, and perspective we need to prevent and confront threats before they can reach our shores," he added.

"The American people will sleep soundly with him as our next CIA Director."

Burns, a career diplomat, has served in the US Foreign Service for 33 years, as well as in a number of national security positions across five Democratic and Republican administrations, Biden's transition team noted.

"Whether it's cyber attacks emanating from Moscow, the challenge China poses, or the threat we face from terrorists and other non-state actors, he has the experience and skill to marshal efforts across government and around the world to ensure the CIA is positioned to protect the American people," the statement said.​​​​​​​