This blog post was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

Part of UK in Hungary

17th May 2012 Budapest, Hungary

Holding back the tears

I’ve been away from Budapest for the last two weeks.

For the first time I went back to London to the annual gathering of all British Ambassadors from around the world. It was my first time there and so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But the week was really good. The PM, Chancellor and Home Secretary spoke to us, as well as the Foreign Secretary. They were very complimentary about our work – while asking us to contribute even more to Britain’s prosperity and security this year. The week was a great chance to meet up with other British Ambassadors from around Europe and the world too. To swap notes on what had been working well for us and what had gone less well. Just 2 month into my tour here it was a really good chance to take a step back and think a little about my experiences so far, chat about them to others and start to plan for the future. I’ll share more with you about that in later blogs.

The second week (or at least most of it) I spent on a lecture course about NATO and the challenges it faces today. The defence element of my portfolio here in Budapest is the one I’m least experienced in and I wanted to address that. Hungary is an important military ally for the UK, not least because of the very active role it plays in providing troops for NATO operations. And I wanted to make sure I was in a good position to help encourage that relationship. So I spent several days in the company of officials, generals and academics chewing over the issues of the day round the world. We discussed NATO’s organisational challenges, its role in conflict situations now and possible scenarios for the future. It was pretty intense but a real boost for me. And I’m now confident I can hold my own on most strategic defence issues. We’ll see.

It was great to come back, though, to warm and sunny Budapest. And to get back into the Hungarian and EU issues which dominate my time here. Budapest feels like home now. I have to admit, though, that trapping my finger in a door on Friday took the edge off my joy at returning. But at least I was able to impress my young daughter by telling her that I didn’t cry.

About Jonathan Knott

Jonathan Knott was appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Hungary in March 2011 and arrived in Budapest in February 2012 to take up his post. He left this post on April…

Jonathan Knott was appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to
Hungary in March 2011 and arrived in Budapest in February 2012 to take
up his post. He left this post on April 2015.
He has previously held a variety of diplomatic posts at home and
abroad, several with a particular focus on commercial and corporate
finance issues. Jonathan has served in a number of positions in the
British Diplomatic Service since joining in 1988:
Before his appointment was Deputy Head of Mission and Director for Trade and Investment in South Korea from 2008 to 2011.Between 2005 and 2008 he held the post of Deputy Finance Director in the FCO.From 2000 to 2005 he served as First Secretary (Trade, Corporate Affairs and Finance Negotiator) in UKDel OECD Paris.From 1996 to 2000 he was First Secretary (Head of Political/Economic/Aid Section) in Mexico.From 1995 to 1996 he worked in the FCO as Deputy European Correspondent at the EU Directorate.Between 1991 and 1995 he served as Third later Second Secretary (Political / Press and Public Affairs) in Havana.From 1990 to 1991 he was Desk Officer in the FCO’s First Gulf War Emergency Unit.Between 1988 and 1990 he worked as Desk Officer in the FCO in the Anti Drugs Cooperation Department.
Jonathan holds an MA in law from Oxford University, and he is a
member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. He speaks
English, French, Spanish and Hungarian. He is married to Angela Susan
Knott and has one daughter and two sons.

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