25th August 2011
Like many people in Jordan and elsewhere I have been glued to the TV reporting and the Twitter feeds coming from Libya. Although there are pockets of resistance, the end of the Libyan people’s nightmare is not far away. The sooner Qadhafi is captured the better. We have watched, fascinated, as history was made in […]
2nd August 2011
The past week has seen tens of thousands of protesters on the streets of Syrian cities, calling for end of the rule of Bashar Al-Assad and the introduction of democracy. Again, their peaceful protests were met by a violent response with reports that Syrian troops opened fire with live ammunition, killing at least one hundred […]
26th July 2011
London will host the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics 1 year from now. The biggest sporting event in the world will be a splendid celebration of sport, achievement and friendship. It really is the greatest show on earth. The city is ready. Construction is on time and on budget with all the major venues on or […]
4th July 2011
I came across a neat quotation the other day: “Corruption is nature’s way of restoring our faith in democracy.” That sounds snappy and amusing but it made me think about what it really means, especially as the scourge of corruption is mentioned frequently in the media and is one of the main demands of people […]
15th June 2011
Many years ago there was a television show with two well-loved comedians. Half-way through the programme one would ask “What do you think of the show so far?” The other would shout “Rubbish!” You had to be there to appreciate the joke, but it is a catch-phrase that has stuck in popular banter. So after […]
29th May 2011
Last night’s Champions’ League final saw some of the best football this year. It flowed, the passing and the tactics were clever and the goals were a spectacular display of individual skill and talent. Barcelona clearly deserved to win playing some superb attractive attacking football. In Amman I saw lots of Barcelona flags and a […]
19th May 2011
I was in London last week and had the honour to attend the meeting between His Majesty and David Cameron. They had 45 minutes together. The press reported that they talked about “bilateral ties and regional developments”. I’m glad to say that it was a lot more interesting than that. So what does this rather […]
3rd May 2011
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 […]
13th April 2011
A word we hear a lot in the Arab world at the moment is “dignity”. We heard it in Tunisia in December and in Tahrir Square in Cairo in January. And we are hearing it in Libya and Syria now. Dignity is a fundamental foundation of Arab culture. The word of course means different things […]
27th March 2011
There is a popular perception that a diplomat’s life is one of luxury and relaxation: all Ferrero Rocher and cocktail parties. If only that were true. One aspect of our work abroad that is rarely seen is the effort we put into learning languages. And on top of studies, we have to take exams. Yes, […]