5th June 2013
You might assume from the title that this is going to be about mathematical theory or science fiction or indeed sewing. But the “golden thread” in question is our Prime Minister’s description of the link between peace, good governance and open societies and economies as part of new thinking on poverty reduction through wealth creation. […]
4th June 2013
A step towards a safer world was taken in New York on 3 June when the UK, Sweden and 65 other states signed the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). I worked on the ATT during my time heading the political and security team at the UK delegation in New York between 2005 and 2008. I confess […]
3rd June 2013
Some once said that football was a game where England played Germany over 90 minutes and extra time and then the Germans won on penalties. Which is an inelegant way of saying that the UK and Germany are very much together on the reform team in the EU, with Sweden on side as well, of […]
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31st May 2013
During Sweden’s EU 2009 Presidency, the Union tried hard to lead international efforts to get a global climate change deal, culminating at the Copenhagen summit. It’s time to redouble our efforts and level of ambition as we look ahead to the Paris negotiations in 2015. As the climate talks in Durban in 2011 showed definitively, […]
Read more on TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE: UK AMBITION FOR EU ACTION | Reply
30th May 2013
I turned 45 yesterday and had planned a quiet day with my lovely wife and visiting mother. But when Patrick Sommerlath of Nobile invited me to debate the future of Europe with CNN’s Richard Quest, Ericsson’s CEO Hans Vestberg and Elizabeth Thand Ringqvist of Företagarna, with Per Schlingmann as moderator, I cast aside thoughts of […]
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29th May 2013
Britain and Sweden don’t differ on much. We did this week on whether to lift the EU arms embargo on the legitimate opposition in Syria. We argued for the lift for political, security and humanitarian reasons. Our priority is a political transition that ends the conflict, allows refugees to return home, and prevents further radicalisation in […]
23rd May 2013
I confess to having been reluctant to embrace Twitter. But I confess myself a bit of a convert. The great TV critic Clive James once said about “Dallas”, “I came to mock but I stayed to pray”. I wouldn’t go that far, but I have found my first two weeks on Twitter (@hmapauljohnston) both fun and […]
19th April 2013
Yesterday in London, Swedish Defence Minister Karen Enström and the UK Minister for International Security Strategy, Dr Andrew Murrison signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the UK and Sweden for Military Exercises and Training. The main purpose of the MOU is to define the legal status of military personnel of one country when invited […]
19th April 2013
As I prepared for an interview on ExpressenTV on the night of Lady Thatcher’s funeral, I read through the entries in the Embassy’s condolence book. Many Ambassadors, representing countries from across the world had come to the Embassy to pay their tributes, as had members of the British community and Swedish citizens. What struck me […]
17th April 2013
This year it will be 65 years since the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Open any newspaper or news website today and you find depressingly many and varied examples of continuing breaches of those universal rights in countries around the world. Advancing respect for universal human rights is a priority […]
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