I have not added anything on this important subject, as my earlier posting in December said more or less all I have to say on it. This time the Russians have played hardball, actually letting people all over the place get very cold by turning off gas supplies. The accounting […]
This piece by Jonathan Freedland offers the classic liberal-minded analysis of the Israel/Hamas conflict: Both sides point at the other with equal vehemence, a Newtonian chain of claimed action and reaction that can stretch back to infinity. So perhaps a more useful exercise – especially for those who long for […]
One of my theories of personal advancement has things thus. Imagine a room packed full of inflated balloons. One of the balloons has the ability to self-inflate. It does so. It expands. The other balloons squeeze themselves in to accommodate this growing companion. Some may eventually pop under the growing […]
The New Year’s Honours List in the UK sees an OBE awarded to Dr John Hemery. John for many years has worked as Director of the Centre for Political and Diplomatic Studies, developing sophisticated training modules for the new Diplomatic Services emerging across the former communist world, plus latterly different courses […]
Any audience for a speech quickly works out what it has to face. Boring or Interesting? Routine or Inspiring? Getting off to a good start is essential, as top US speech-writer John Shosky explains in the latest Total Politics: Audiences decide if they like you, and if you are a person […]
Another row between Moscow and Kiev over energy prices and supplies: Crippled by the financial crisis, Ukraine is struggling to pay off hundreds of millions of pounds in debt for Russian gas it bought earlier in the year. At the same time, Ukraine – which carries 80 per cent of […]
This is pretty strange. Top EU officials are moved to and fro round the Commission without all Commisssioners being told in advance: European Commission President José Manuel Barroso today (3 December) announced a far-reaching reshuffle of his senior officials, surprising several commissioners and raising questions about how the top jobs are […]
The latest issue of DIPLOMAT carries my droll article on diplomatic leaks down the ages. Written before the recent Damian Green MP drama here in Parliament. But perhaps none the worse for that. Has that much changed since Rome in 1870? Thus: One of the USA’s most brilliant Ambassadors, George […]
Is here. In Total Politics. And if you want more, have a look at the latest issue: TP 6 (registration required). I write about Diplomatic Memoirs and all that. Are there signs that the FCO is going to try to put out new rules which are not oppressive and unworkable? […]
Carne Ross (former British diplomat) urges urgent reform of the UN: It is depressing how little creative thinking goes on at the UN to remedy its many deficits. Diplomats posted to the UN tend to come and go for three or four-year tours making little impression, and often leave demoralised […]
