Jeremy Greenstock
Encyclopedia
Sir Jeremy Q. Greenstock, GCMG
(born 27 July 1943) is a retired British
diplomat
, active from 1969-2004.
, the son of Ruth Margaret (née Logan) and John Wilfred Greenstock. He was educated at the Harrow School
and Worcester College, University of Oxford. He taught classics at Eton College from 1966 to 1969. Greenstock joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
in 1969. He served in the British embassies in Washington DC, Paris
, Dubai
and Saudi Arabia
.
. From October 2001 to April 2003, he was Chairman of the Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee.
In 2003 he acted as the head of a Security Council mission to West Africa to assess the UN activities there, including the work of UNAMSIL.
, where he worked alongside Paul Bremer within the Coalition Provisional Authority
.
Greenstock left his position in Baghdad in late June 2004, on a timing agreed with the UK government.
Greenstock wrote a book about his role in the Iraq war that was expected to be released in the Autumn of 2005, but was withdrawn from publication at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Greenstock appeared on the Charlie Rose talk show
on May 14, 2008 and explained some of the contents of his book. During the interview he stated categorically that British and American leaders had known since 1998 that Iraq under Saddam Hussein had no nuclear weapon capabilities or programs.
On November 27 and December 15, 2009, Greenstock gave evidence to the Iraq Inquiry regarding his time as ambassador to the United Nations.
Greenstock was appointed Chairman of the United Nations Association of the UK in February 2011.
He was Director of the Ditchley Foundation
2004-2010 and was a Special Advisor to the BP Group. He is a Non-Executive Director of De La Rue
plc, and a Trustee of the International Rescue Committee (UK).
The Labour MP for Luton North, Kelvin Hopkins, told the House of Commons on May 19, 2011 that Greenstock took up an advisory consultancy post with the oil industry in Iraq.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(born 27 July 1943) is a retired British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, active from 1969-2004.
Life and career
Greenstock was born in Harrow on the Hill, north-west LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of Ruth Margaret (née Logan) and John Wilfred Greenstock. He was educated at the Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Worcester College, University of Oxford. He taught classics at Eton College from 1966 to 1969. Greenstock joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
in 1969. He served in the British embassies in Washington DC, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
United Nations work
Greenstock was the United Kingdom Ambassador to the United Nations for five years, from 1998 to July 2003 where he attended over 150 meetings of the United Nations Security CouncilUnited Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
. From October 2001 to April 2003, he was Chairman of the Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee.
In 2003 he acted as the head of a Security Council mission to West Africa to assess the UN activities there, including the work of UNAMSIL.
Iraq and aftermath
In September 2003, Greenstock was appointed the UK's Special Representative for IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, where he worked alongside Paul Bremer within the Coalition Provisional Authority
Coalition Provisional Authority
The Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, members of the Multi-National Force – Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
.
Greenstock left his position in Baghdad in late June 2004, on a timing agreed with the UK government.
Greenstock wrote a book about his role in the Iraq war that was expected to be released in the Autumn of 2005, but was withdrawn from publication at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Greenstock appeared on the Charlie Rose talk show
Charlie Rose (talk show)
Charlie Rose is an American television interview show, with Charlie Rose as executive producer, executive editor, and host. The show is syndicated...
on May 14, 2008 and explained some of the contents of his book. During the interview he stated categorically that British and American leaders had known since 1998 that Iraq under Saddam Hussein had no nuclear weapon capabilities or programs.
On November 27 and December 15, 2009, Greenstock gave evidence to the Iraq Inquiry regarding his time as ambassador to the United Nations.
Post retirement
Greenstock is Chairman of Gatehouse Advisory Partners, a Geopolitical consutancy he established with Sir David Manning in 2010.Greenstock was appointed Chairman of the United Nations Association of the UK in February 2011.
He was Director of the Ditchley Foundation
Ditchley Foundation
The Ditchley Foundation is a British organisation based at Ditchley House near Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, which aims to promote international relations, especially Anglo-American relations, through a programme of around fifteen annual conferences on matters of international interest...
2004-2010 and was a Special Advisor to the BP Group. He is a Non-Executive Director of De La Rue
De La Rue
De La Rue plc is a British security printing, papermaking and cash handling systems company headquartered in Basingstoke, Hampshire. It also has a factory on the Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, and other facilities at Loughton, Essex and Bathford, Somerset...
plc, and a Trustee of the International Rescue Committee (UK).
The Labour MP for Luton North, Kelvin Hopkins, told the House of Commons on May 19, 2011 that Greenstock took up an advisory consultancy post with the oil industry in Iraq.
External links
- Sir Jeremy Greenstock's Biography on the United Nations Association of the UK website
- Greenstock statement in full, BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 17 March 2003 - Coalition 'misanalysed' Iraq mood, BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 26 March 2004 - Iraq 2004: What went wrong, BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 1 January 2005 - No 10 blocks envoy's book on Iraq, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 17 July 2005 - FO accused of censoring insider book on Iraq war, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 18 July 2005 - Ex-Blair envoy gives Iraq warning, BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, 23 September 2005