Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

25th January 2013 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

by Nikesh Mehta

Counsellor for Foreign Policy and Security

The Scourge of Terrorism Returns…

For one Malaysian family, 2013 has started in the worst possible way. Mr Chong Ngen Chung and many others, including from the UK, have become the latest victims  in what our Prime Minister has rightly described as a ‘…generational struggle against an ideology which is an extreme distortion of the Islamic faith, and which holds […]

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24th January 2013 Yerevan, Armenia

To the Haggis

On Saturday the Armenian British Business Chamber (ABBC) is holding the annual Burns Supper in Yerevan, a tradition now for many years (please see Burns Supper – there are still a few tickets available!). We are looking forward to this tremendously and are very grateful to the ABBC for its hard work in organising it […]

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24th January 2013 Paris, France

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by Peter Ricketts

Ambassador to France from February 2012 to January 2016.

The future of the EU and the UK’s relationship with it

A European Flag and the Union Jack hang in front of the Justus Lipsius, the European Union's headquarters building in Brussels. GERARD CERLES/AFP/Getty Images

There is a lot happening in the world, and I wanted to talk today a bit about our support to France on Mali, and then a bit about Britain and Europe. Britain has fully supported the French military operation in Mali from the start. We entirely share France’s analysis that we can not allow Mali […]

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24th January 2013

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Training Diplomats to Understand Religion

Earlier this week, I was in London to attend and address the first ever course run by the Foreign Office on religion and foreign policy. The particular focus was on the issue of freedom of religion or belief, but the wider goal of the course is to help British diplomats understand better the importance of […]

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24th January 2013 Dublin, Ireland

Robin Barnett

by Robin Barnett

Former Ambassador to Ireland, Dublin

PM Cameron’s speech on Britain and the EU

You will of course be aware that David Cameron, our Prime Minister, delivered a major speech on Europe in London on 23 January.  It has received a lot of coverage in the Polish media and Foreign Minister Sikorski commented on it on 24 January. The speech is a very clear commitment to keeping the UK […]

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24th January 2013 Dublin, Ireland

Robin Barnett

by Robin Barnett

Former Ambassador to Ireland, Dublin

Przemówienie premiera Camerona o Wielkiej Brytanii i Unii Europejskiej

Na pewno są Państwo świadomi, że nasz premier David Cameron wygłosił 23 stycznia w Londynie ważne przemówienie na temat Europy. Polskie media poświęciły temu przemówieniu dużo uwagi, a 24 stycznia przemówienie skomentował minister spraw zagranicznych Radosław Sikorski. Przemówienie to w bardzo jasny sposób mówi o przywiązaniu do koncepcji pozostania Wielkiej Brytanii w Unii Europejskiej, w […]

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23rd January 2013

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by Peter Beckingham

Former governor in Turks and Caicos Islands

Vibrant Gujarat – attracting business from India and beyond

The State of Gujarat, an hour’s flight north of Mumbai, can claim many important contributions to India. It was the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, another key leader of the independence movement and India’s first Home Minister, and Jamsetji Tata, the founder of the massive eponymous conglomerate,  hails from Navsari in Gujarat. Gujarat […]

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22nd January 2013 Washington DC, USA

Rosalind Campion portrait

by Rosalind Campion

Counsellor for Global Issues

An Inauguration to Remember

Inauguration Day is a four-yearly highlight of the Washington calendar – and indeed, the calendar of most US citizens. It is the day when the newly elected president is sworn in for the next four years. Full of pomp and circumstance, bugles, marching bands, songs, prayers, and lots of US flags, “What are you doing […]

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22nd January 2013 Yerevan, Armenia

It’s time to reflect on the achievements and look forward to coming opportunities

Welcome to 2013!  Over the past couple of weeks, British Ambassadors all around the world have been writing their Annual Review of 2012 for colleagues in London.  It’s a good time to reflect on the achievements we are most proud of – and the challenges and opportunities for the coming year.   For us in Yerevan, […]

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22nd January 2013 Dushanbe, Tajikistan

New Year, New Skills

The following is a blog by Farhod Nabiyulloev, Press and Public Affairs Officer As part of the first week back at work in the New Year, I and some of my colleagues at the Embassy took part in several training sessions, organised by the Foreign Office’s Regional Training Centre in Dubai. We held our sessions […]

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