Leigh Turner
Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna
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UK in Austria
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5th June 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
“The astonishing thing is that UKTI offers such a fantastic set of resources to help companies.” I’m at an export promotion event in the North of England. The speaker is a British exporter who has been working with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) for years. He is keen to persuade other British businesses to do […]
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2nd June 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Did US spacecraft Apollo 11 really land on the moon in July 1969? Was the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, an accident? Are many world leaders in fact shape-shifting reptilians? Back in August I wrote a blog called “Why Turkey can be confident”. I set out why I was so impressed by this wonderful, welcoming country; and […]
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29th May 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
A woman drifts terrified in space, gazing down on earth. A factory turns out millions of computers for $25 each. A craftsman explains why high-tech car design still starts with a sculpted clay model. We’re at “The Seed” in Emirgan, north of Istanbul. Far below, the blue waters of the Bosphorus sparkle. On the terrace […]
Read more on Gravity and the Artificial Pancreas: GREAT Festival of Creativity meets Istanbul | Reply
17th April 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
I don’t usually write about my holidays in this blog, and I won’t now. But I’ve written recently about how beautiful Britain is and about the English paradise which is Lundy Island (my video on YouTube, which is unfortunately banned in Turkey at present). Since I have just visited Lundy Island again on holiday, it’s a good excuse to […]
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2nd April 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Heavily armed Russian troops seize Crimea, part of the sovereign territory of Ukraine with a population similar to Latvia and an area larger than Israel. President Putin says Crimea “has always been an inalienable part” of Russian territory; and announces its permanent annexation. How should we respond? I’ve just returned to Istanbul from four weeks […]
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28th February 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Are women better at business than men? I found myself asking this question after visiting KAGIDER, the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey, here in Istanbul. KAGIDER is a fine organisation. A group of top women business types set it up in 2002. Its goals include developing entrepreneurship among women; strengthening women’s status economically […]
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26th February 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
What is more exciting than football? The answer, if you are a fan of any of Istanbul’s great clubs is: nothing. As the famous Liverpool football manager, Bill Shankly, once said: “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is […]
Read more on Chelsea – and Galatasaray – and Football – are GREAT | Reply
20th February 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
At first sight, the vehicle looks like a slice of science fiction futurism from “The Fifth Element”. When we climb into the big, low-floored cab, designed to offer easy access to disabled people and wheel-chair users, everything feels familiar. Yet somehow it is also different: more comfortable and spacious than usual. We’re at Hexagon Studios, […]
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4th February 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
A guest blog by Nadia Hashmi, Second Secretary for internal politics and human rights at the British Embassy in Ankara, Turkey The grandeur of the Blue Mosque. The intricate mosaics of the Chora church. The breath-taking Hagia Sophia. All these monuments reflect how Istanbul has for centuries been a centre of religious belief. Istanbul’s diversity […]
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27th January 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Talking to a highly-trained and brilliant audience is always a challenge. So I am not surprised when, after my talk about developments in Turkey and economic opportunities, a forest of hands goes up. Most of the questions demonstrate a strong grip of political and economic as well as military issues. Any inconsistencies within my presentation […]
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