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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 […]
28th January 2011 New York, USA
“I’m a legal alien…”
Sting’s song about Quentin Crisp celebrated one British ex-patriate who made a home here. Last week, we honoured another. In June 2010, Her Majesty The Queen honoured former Mountbatten Director Michael Billett with the award of an OBE. Michael has been working with the Mountbatten Programme for 15 years. Mountbatten provides young British, Indian and […]
27th January 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
London 2012
It may seem only yesterday that the Beijing Olympic and Paraolympic Games ended, but we are now less than two years away from London 2012. The euphoria that followed the award of the Games to London was rapidly converted into the hard work of preparation, construction and planning, and the results can already be seen. […]
27th January 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Relations between Bolivia and Britain
In my New Year blog I set out the wide range of areas in which this Embassy is active in promoting good relations between our two countries. The recent visit of Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca to London provided an opportunity to further strengthen that relationship. The principal themes of the meetings in London were two […]
27th January 2011 Ottawa, Canada
November Field Trip to Newfoundland
Welcome blog readers to our first billingual guest blog posting! In this posting, Nicolina, our Science Officer in Montreal discusses her trip to Newfoudland, looking into renewable energy. This blog was written by our guest blogger in french, and translated to english for the complete Canadian billingualism experience (french and english being Canada’s two official […]
27th January 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
‘Let’s show booming India that we know our onions!’ Boris Johnson
Two senior figures in British politics were in Mumbai in January – Vince Cable and Boris Johnson. Boris Johnson and Peter Beckingham Two senior figures in British politics were in Mumbai in January – Vince Cable, Cabinet Secretary of State for Business, Innovation & Skills, and Boris Johnson, The Mayor of London. They don’t […]
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