22nd November 2015 Beirut, Lebanon
Independence Day is an opportunity to commemorate the birth of Lebanon as a state. This occasion comes a few months after my arrival here as Ambassador, and this weekend I have been reflecting on the nature of the Lebanese nation. Lebanon, the land of the phoenix, the eternal Cedars and 6000 years of history came […]
1st March 2015 Skopje, North Macedonia
On Sunday 1 March along with Welsh citizens around the World, I will celebrate St David’s Day. Tradition has it that St David, or Dewi Saint in the Welsh language, died on this day in 569AD and from the 18th Century he was adopted as the Patron Saint of Wales, and the date celebrated as […]
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13th January 2015 Beirut, Lebanon
All of us share the sadness of the French people at last week’s terrorist attack in Paris, and of the Lebanese people at the weekend attack in Tripoli. In their condemnation of the deaths in Paris, the four Muftis of Lebanon sent a powerful message against extremism. It was a reminder that many in this […]
Read more on Keeping the ‘Islamic State’ out of Lebanon, and Lebanon out of the ‘Islamic State’ | Reply (1)
28th November 2014 Beirut, Lebanon
I recently got a Jawbone ‘Up’, a device that monitors your daily activity, sleep patterns and exercise, and helps you better control your health. As a father of two boys, I don’t need anyone to tell me I don’t get enough sleep. But, like many, I’m outsourcing the collection of my data to a plastic […]
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18th November 2014
It was a privilege for me to lay a wreath last Sunday at the Bucharest War Cemetery in Tâncăbeşti, on behalf of the British Government, in a ceremony honouring the British and Commonwealth servicemen and women killed in the First World War and more recent conflicts, as well as those from other countries who gave […]
14th November 2014 Skopje, North Macedonia
Remembrance is a hugely significant event for the British people and particularly poignant for members of Her Majesty’s armed forces. This year I joined the British Ambassador, Mr Charles Garrett at a service at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in Skopje. We were joined by the Minister of Defence, Dr Zoran Jolevski, representatives of […]
4th November 2014
Guest blog by Mark Wentworth, British Defence Attaché to Kazakhstan. Eight members of the Kazakh Armed Forces recently participated in the internationally renowned Exercise CAMBRIAN PATROL that takes place annually in Wales, United Kingdom. The aim of the exercise is to “provide a challenging patrol environment in order to enhance operational capability”. During the exercise, […]
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19th August 2014 Skopje, North Macedonia
Yesterday I accompanied the Ambassador to an event in the historic town of Ohrid to mark ‘18 August, Macedonian Army Day’. The ceremony was held at the Water Training Centre in a beautiful setting next to Lake Ohrid. As Commander-in-Chief the President headed a guest list of senior political, diplomatic and military guests. It was a great opportunity to meet with friends and […]
14th July 2014 Washington DC, USA
The following is a guest post from Captain Graham Henderson, Plans Staff Officer within the Headquarters of the UK’s 1st Mechanized Brigade who participated in the Network Integration Evaluation (NIE). Heavy wind gusts and unforgiving terrain set ideal conditions for testing new equipment in a joint exercise known as the NIE. The Network Integration Evaluation […]
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24th May 2014 Beirut, Lebanon
Today I visited the Presidential Palace to thank President Sleiman for his leadership. Throughout his mandate he has led Lebanon with great dignity and wisdom, and worked tirelessly for unity and consensus. He has just left the building. In theory, a new President should be preparing to arrive, making the last adjustments to his or […]
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