Tag: syria

23rd March 2015 Geneva, Switzerland

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by Bob Last

Head, UK Mission Political and Human Rights Team

Staying Healthy

By the end of week 3 of any March Council session everyone tends to look pretty frazzled. The combination of lack of time for proper meals, general neglect in the finer aspects of personal grooming and the knowledge that the session still has some time to go tend to take their toll. But this year […]

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12th March 2015 Beirut, Lebanon

Tom Fletcher

by Tom Fletcher

Former British Ambassador to Lebanon

Tolerating the Intolerable: Syria, Four Years On

On the first anniversary of the Syria conflict, I wrote about the staggering impact it had already had – those numbers seem small now. On the second anniversary, I wrote about the generosity of Syria’s neighbours and parts of the international community, the frustrations of diplomacy, and the need to maintain a sense of rage. […]

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2nd March 2015 Geneva, Switzerland

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by Bob Last

Head, UK Mission Political and Human Rights Team

Marching On

I hope you’re feeling fit and strong in time for this session. As I don’t have much time for exercise these days, I’ve been trying to get in shape before the Council by pushing my household chores to my physical limit. I’ve managed to improve my  stamina, reactions and speed with new personal bests for double […]

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13th January 2015 London, UK

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by Philip Parham

UK Commonwealth Envoy, former British Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates

Together, we will consign Da’esh to the forgotten footnotes of history

The so-called Islamic State has no credibility. It is founded on fear. We – an international community inspired by our common humanity – will defeat it. As 2015 opens up before us, and as we reflect on the events of the past year, the actions of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria stand […]

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13th January 2015 Beirut, Lebanon

Tom Fletcher

by Tom Fletcher

Former British Ambassador to Lebanon

Keeping the ‘Islamic State’ out of Lebanon, and Lebanon out of the ‘Islamic State’

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 […]

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11th November 2014

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by Jonathan Allen

Former Ambassador to Bulgaria

Increasing Our Security in an Increasingly Insecure World

Europe is surrounded by an “arc of instability”, in the words of Philip Hammond, the British Foreign Secretary. Bulgaria, responsible for one of the EU’s key external borders, and on the land route to Syria, is in a key position. It is vital that we, Bulgaria’s allies, step up our support. It is just as […]

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25th September 2014 Beirut, Lebanon

Tom Fletcher

by Tom Fletcher

Former British Ambassador to Lebanon

A United Nation at the UN

For a week every year, the world’s foreign policy elites relocate to New York for the annual jamboree of statecraft, the UN General Assembly. The pace is frantic – diplomatic speed-dating. But it matters. The UN may not be perfect, but no-one has yet come up with a better idea for global coexistence. It matters […]

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15th September 2014 Geneva, Switzerland

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by Bob Last

Head, UK Mission Political and Human Rights Team

Universality under attack

For those of you who may have noticed me looking a little down in the mouth last week, this had little to do with work and almost everything to do with the temporary disappearance of our pet cat. She was obviously not getting enough attention having to compete in our household with two small children […]

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11th September 2014

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

The Church as a global player

The bishops in the US and health care reform. The leading role played by the Catholic Church in tackling corruption in the Philippines. Caritas Internationalis responding in a practical way to the rise in suicides amongst Indian farmers. Catholic radio and censorship in South Sudan. The response of the Eastern Church Patriarchs to ISIL. Using […]

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8th September 2014 Geneva, Switzerland

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by Bob Last

Head, UK Mission Political and Human Rights Team

September Strawberries

This year has been the summer that never was. Usually by the time the September Council session comes around, colleagues look relaxed, healthy even, after enjoying the Geneva sunshine and seem genuinely happy to see each other after a decent break. But a combination of bad weather and incessant work has left many of us […]

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