Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

4th May 2011

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

World Press Freedom Day

On 3 May the United Nations, and journalists around the world, celebrate World Press Freedom Day. The day is celebrated every year to commemorate the fundamental principles of media freedom, to highlight long-standing and emerging threats to that freedom and to pay tribute to journalists and activists around the world who have risked their safety […]

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3rd May 2011

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by Peter Millett

Ambassador to Libya, Tripoli

Celebrating the Royal Wedding

Royal Weddings don’t come round very often.  So when they do, it is worth trying to do something special. The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in London last Friday deserved a special party and we were keen to celebrate it with Jordanians. So we launched a competition for engaged couples to come and […]

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3rd May 2011

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Bad piano-playing in Kyiv

How can the Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, best ensure that it meets the democratic aspirations of the Ukrainian people? I’ve blogged before about the unfortunate propensity of members of the Rada to settle disputes by physical violence – inside the chamber – rather than by debate.  When I noted recently with approval that there hadn’t […]

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3rd May 2011

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by Peter Beckingham

Former governor in Turks and Caicos Islands

Cricket the IPL way – or how to begin to understand the middle classes in India

I met recently in Mumbai a former colleague, and competitor, visiting from the Enterprise Ireland trade promotion organisation in Dublin. We had worked in Sweden at the same time, seeking out opportunities for our countries in the large Swedish and Scandinavian markets. I was able to obtain an extra ticket for him to join my […]

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3rd May 2011

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by Peter Beckingham

Former governor in Turks and Caicos Islands

New UK trade and investment minister’s first overseas visit – to India, and Mumbai

The importance the British Government attaches to enhancing relations with India was underlined in March when Lord Green visited the country, including Mumbai. Lord Green has just weeks ago taken on the position of Minister of Trade and Investment, and his first official overseas visit was to India. Lord Green is well known to many […]

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2nd May 2011 Ottawa, Canada

A taste of Buckingham Palace

What a Wedding! We did our best at Earnscliffe, a few hours after the event, to celebrate a joyous and successful occasion. We brought a taste of Buckingham Palace to Ottawa, re-creating in our kitchen many of the canapés at the reception. As part of Canada’s Royal Family, I trust the happy couple would approve […]

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1st May 2011

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by Greg Dorey

Diplomat

Watching with the World

Passers-by were rather surprised today to find a traditional British street party happening outside the British Embassy in Budapest – complete with bunting, balloons (red, white and blue, naturally) and British, Indian and other foods. It’s not something you often see in Hungary…. And it was of course to mark the marriage of Their Royal […]

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28th April 2011

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by Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

ANZAC Day – Part of Australia’s National Identity

On 25 April I got up at 4.00am to attend the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Canberra’s magnificent Australian War Memorial. It was a very moving experience. I was deeply impressed to see a crowd of some 20,000 people so still and silent that you could hear the cockatoos screeching in the trees – a […]

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28th April 2011

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by Martin Harris

British Ambassador to Ukraine

Romania and the Royal Wedding

There can be few countries outside the UK where the Royal Wedding is being followed more avidly than in Romania. TV coverage began a week ago, the newspapers are full of information about Prince William and his bride-to-be Kate and everyone I meet is looking forward eagerly to the big day. That’s true even here […]

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