John Weston
Encyclopedia
Sir John Weston KCMG
(born 13 April 1938) is a retired British
diplomat
. He was the UK Permanent Representative on the North Atlantic Council (NATO) from 1992 to 1995, and the British Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN
) from 1995 to 1998.
and Worcester College, Oxford
, taking a double first in Classics and Philosophy. He carried out his National Service
as a Second Lieutenant
in 42 Commando
Royal Marines
.
in London, he covered matters relating to the European Community, Eastern Europe and intelligence, and served as a Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary
, both James Callaghan
and Antony Crosland. In 1977, he spent a sabbatical year as a Visiting Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford
.
From 1981 to 1985 he was the Foreign Office's Director of International Security Policy, after heading their Defence Department during the Falklands War
. He was then posted overseas, as Deputy Ambassador and Minister Plenipotentiary in Paris, from 1985 to 1988. On his return to London, he worked as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet
and as Political Director at the Foreign Office. In 1990, he was the British official negotiator on the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany
(for which he received the German Order of Merit, with Star
).
In 1992 Weston was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
(KCMG), and appointed the Permanent Representative on NATO for the UK. He held this position until he was made the British Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN
) in 1995. He retired from this post, and from the diplomatic service, in 1998.
of several companies including British Telecom1998-2001,and Rolls-Royce Group plc1998-2005. He also became a trustee
of Alliance Française
,of the American Associates of the Royal Academy of Arts, and of the National Portrait Gallery. In 2003, he was made an Honorary Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford
, where he is also President of the Worcester College Society. He chaired the Board of Governors at Sherborne School
2001-2007 , is a governor of the Ditchley Foundation
, and was for 10 years Honorary President of the Community Foundation Network
.
He began writing poetry in 2002, appearing in many magazines and journals. He was published in the Take Five '04 anthology by Shoestring Press in 2004. The first collection of his poetry, Chasing the Hoopoe, published by Peterloo Poets in August 2005, was described by the late Harold Pinter
as "a good read, full of salt and pepper". For 4 years he chaired the trustees of The Poetry School and was a trustee of The Poetry Society. He is currently working toward a second collection of his poems which will be published by Shoestring Press in 2011.
; and three grandchildren.
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 13 April 1938) 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...
. He was the UK Permanent Representative on the North Atlantic Council (NATO) from 1992 to 1995, and the British Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
) from 1995 to 1998.
Early life
Weston was educated at Sherborne SchoolSherborne School
Sherborne School is a British independent school for boys, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
and Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...
, taking a double first in Classics and Philosophy. He carried out his National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
as a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in 42 Commando
42 Commando
42 Commando Royal Marines is a battalion sized formation of the British Royal Marines and a subordinate unit within 3 Commando Brigade, the principal Commando formation, under the Operational Command of Commander in Chief Fleet....
Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
.
Diplomatic career
Weston joined the Diplomatic Service in 1962, and was posted to Hong Kong (Chinese language student); and subsequently to Beijing,to Brussels EC (with the UK Permanent Representation to the European Community) and to Washington DC. Whilst working for the Foreign OfficeForeign 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 London, he covered matters relating to the European Community, Eastern Europe and intelligence, and served as a Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a senior member of Her Majesty's Government heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and regarded as one of the Great Offices of State...
, both James Callaghan
James Callaghan
Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC , was a British Labour politician, who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1976 to 1980...
and Antony Crosland. In 1977, he spent a sabbatical year as a Visiting Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
.
From 1981 to 1985 he was the Foreign Office's Director of International Security Policy, after heading their Defence Department during the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
. He was then posted overseas, as Deputy Ambassador and Minister Plenipotentiary in Paris, from 1985 to 1988. On his return to London, he worked as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet
Cabinet Secretary
A Cabinet Secretary is almost always a senior official who provides services and advice to a Cabinet of Ministers. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire civil service...
and as Political Director at the Foreign Office. In 1990, he was the British official negotiator on the Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany
Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany
The Treaty on the Final Settlement With Respect to Germany, was negotiated in 1990 between the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic , and the Four Powers which occupied Germany at the end of World War II in Europe: France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the...
(for which he received the German Order of Merit, with Star
Bundesverdienstkreuz
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
).
In 1992 Weston was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
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....
(KCMG), and appointed the Permanent Representative on NATO for the UK. He held this position until he was made the British Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
) in 1995. He retired from this post, and from the diplomatic service, in 1998.
Retirement
On retirement, he became a non-executive directorNon-executive director
A non-executive director or outside director is a member of the board of directors of a company who does not form part of the executive management team. He or she is not an employee of the company or affiliated with it in any other way...
of several companies including British Telecom1998-2001,and Rolls-Royce Group plc1998-2005. He also became a trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of Alliance Française
Alliance française
The Alliance française , or AF, is an international organisation that aims to promote French language and culture around the world. created in Paris on 21 July 1883, its primary concern is teaching French as a second language and is headquartered in Paris -History:The Alliance was created in Paris...
,of the American Associates of the Royal Academy of Arts, and of the National Portrait Gallery. In 2003, he was made an Honorary Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...
, where he is also President of the Worcester College Society. He chaired the Board of Governors at Sherborne School
Sherborne School
Sherborne School is a British independent school for boys, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
2001-2007 , is a governor 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...
, and was for 10 years Honorary President of the Community Foundation Network
Community Foundation Network
Community Foundation Network is a registered charity that leads a movement of community foundations committed to positive social change in the UK through the development of “community philanthropy”...
.
He began writing poetry in 2002, appearing in many magazines and journals. He was published in the Take Five '04 anthology by Shoestring Press in 2004. The first collection of his poetry, Chasing the Hoopoe, published by Peterloo Poets in August 2005, was described by the late Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter, CH, CBE was a Nobel Prize–winning English playwright and screenwriter. One of the most influential modern British dramatists, his writing career spanned more than 50 years. His best-known plays include The Birthday Party , The Homecoming , and Betrayal , each of which he adapted to...
as "a good read, full of salt and pepper". For 4 years he chaired the trustees of The Poetry School and was a trustee of The Poetry Society. He is currently working toward a second collection of his poems which will be published by Shoestring Press in 2011.
Private life
He is married to Sally, a qualified barrister. They have two sons, Ben and Rufus, and a daughter, the surgeon and published author Gabriel WestonGabriel Weston
Gabriel Jessie Corfield Weston is an English surgeon and author. Her memoir entitled Direct Red: A Surgeon's Story was published in February 2009...
; and three grandchildren.