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3rd February 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
How to resolve impossible disputes
Where is the world’s leading centre in dispute settlement? In other words, where do you go if you want to resolve a commercial dispute and need top-quality advice from the world’s leading experts? The answer, of course, is London. So I’m delighted to attend a seminar at the Big Conference Hall of the Academy of […]
2nd February 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Getting a Doha agreement: no time to lose
As governments around the world continue to look for the best way to stimulate sustainable economic recovery, we in the trade policy field offer a simple answer: trade is the biggest stimulus we can give right now. And thanks to the trade liberalisation we’ve witnessed since the last big, multilateral trade agreement was reached in […]
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2nd February 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Making a difference through beer
I should probably explain why I was sampling some very good beer at Dreher Breweries in the middle of the afternoon yesterday. I was at an event called “Making a difference through beer”! And I was trying my best to make that difference. This was actually one of a series of events run by the […]
2nd February 2011 Islamabad, Pakistan
Pakistan floods – six months on
Six months ago Pakistan was hit by devastating monsoon floods. This was – and remains – a disaster shocking in its scale and impact. The world risks forgetting that 20 million people were affected – more than the Boxing Day Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the Pakistan and Haiti earthquakes combined. Almost two thousand people […]
2nd February 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Romania’s Big Society
Last month I attended a debate hosted by the Institute for Popular Studies on the reform of the Romanian state. President Basescu and other speakers were addressing the question of what the shape and size of the state should be to meet the challenges of the 21st century – whether it was time to redefine […]
2nd February 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Brilliant brands: Aston Martins and ejector seats
Kyiv is no stranger to celebrities. But in the course of my posting in Kyiv, two of those I have most enjoyed meeting have been the lead actors in the most recent James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, Daniel Craig from the UK and Olga Kyrilenko, from Ukraine. So I am delighted to attend the […]
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1st February 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
From Industrial Revolution to Green Revolution
The global climate change debate is often characterised in terms of a struggle between developed and developing world countries. While it is easy to understand why, this duality does not really help us in our efforts to strengthen the global response to climate change and global warming. After all, there are developed countries that are […]
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31st January 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Hard and Soft Diplomacy Combined
Tonight we have brought high strategy and culture together. Some 50 students from the Advanced Command and Staff Course (ACSC) run by the UK Defence Academy are in town to learn about Hungary – including students from Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Georgia, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the UAE […]
31st January 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
My first 5 months – a look ahead
I have been in Romania for five months. 2010 was a difficult period for the Romanian economy, and for the British economy. But I am optimistic about 2011. Bilateral trade is rapidly increasing and last year showed the highest levels since Romania joined the EU, with an increase by more than 30%. I have seen […]
31st January 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Multiple Burns
Tonight I’m at the “Big” Burns Supper in central Budapest. The first such large-scale celebration of Robert Burns took place here in 1997 and since 2005 they have been run by the Robert Burns International Foundation – the British Ambassador is one of the patrons of the RBIF. This evening is one of the largest […]