John Goulden
Encyclopedia
Sir John Goulden, GCMG
(born 21 February 1941) was the United Kingdom
Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council
and to the Western European Union
from April 1995 until 2001. He is a current member of the Security Commission
.
in Sheffield
, and at The Queen's College
, Oxford
.
He read History taking the University History Prize in 1961 and graduating with first class honours in 1962. Joining the Diplomatic Service, he studied Turkish at London University and served in Ankara from 1963-7. He spent three years as a Second Secretary on the Hungary/Romania/Czechoslovakia desk in the Foreign Office from 1967-9, before spending 18 months in Manila.
From 1974-6 he ran the Foreign Office's recruitment programme, taking off a month in 1974 to join the Geneva negotiations on Cyprus.
He was Head of Chancery in Dublin from 1976-9, returning to be Assistant Head of Defence Department responsible for NATO affairs from 1979-81. From there he was promoted to become Head of Personnel Services Department and later Head of News Department and Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Spokesman from 1982-4.
Between 1984-7 he served as Head of Chancery at the UK Representation to the European Communities in Brussels, returning to London as Assistant-Under-Secretary of State (Defence) at the FCO from 1988-92.
From 1992-5 he was Ambassador in Ankara.
He took up post as the United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council and to the Western European Union on 3 April 1995.
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 21 February 1941) was the United Kingdom
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...
Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council
North Atlantic Council
North Atlantic Council is the most senior political governing body of NATO established by Article 9 of the North Atlantic Treaty. The NAC can be held at the Permanent Representative Level , or can be composed of member states' Ministers of State, Defense, or Heads of Government. The NAC has the...
and to the Western European Union
Western European Union
The Western European Union was an international organisation tasked with implementing the Modified Treaty of Brussels , an amended version of the original 1948 Treaty of Brussels...
from April 1995 until 2001. He is a current member of the Security Commission
Security Commission
The Security Commission is a UK non-departmental public body established in 1964 to investigate breaches of security in the public sector.Current members are:*The Rt Hon Lady Justice Butler-Sloss, DBE...
.
Early years
Goulden was educated at King Edward VII SchoolKing Edward VII School (Sheffield)
King Edward VII School is a secondary school and language college located in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. KES, named after the reigning monarch, was formed in 1905 when Wesley College was merged with Sheffield Royal Grammar School on the site of the former on Glossop Road...
in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, and at The Queen's College
The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...
, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
He read History taking the University History Prize in 1961 and graduating with first class honours in 1962. Joining the Diplomatic Service, he studied Turkish at London University and served in Ankara from 1963-7. He spent three years as a Second Secretary on the Hungary/Romania/Czechoslovakia desk in the Foreign Office from 1967-9, before spending 18 months in Manila.
Career
From 1971-4 he was in the Planning Staff in the Foreign Office.From 1974-6 he ran the Foreign Office's recruitment programme, taking off a month in 1974 to join the Geneva negotiations on Cyprus.
He was Head of Chancery in Dublin from 1976-9, returning to be Assistant Head of Defence Department responsible for NATO affairs from 1979-81. From there he was promoted to become Head of Personnel Services Department and later Head of News Department and 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...
Spokesman from 1982-4.
Between 1984-7 he served as Head of Chancery at the UK Representation to the European Communities in Brussels, returning to London as Assistant-Under-Secretary of State (Defence) at the FCO from 1988-92.
From 1992-5 he was Ambassador in Ankara.
He took up post as the United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council and to the Western European Union on 3 April 1995.