Oliver Miles
Encyclopedia
Richard Oliver Miles is a retired British Ambassador
. He is chairman of the international business development company MEC International.
and Oxford University, where he read Classical Mods
and Oriental Studies
(Arabic and Turkish
).
Miles did national service in the Royal Navy
and studied Russian
. In 1960, he studied Arabic at the Middle East Centre for Arabic Studies
in Lebanon
.
He married Julia Lyndall Weiner, a social worker and sister of Edmund Weiner
(deputy Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary
) in 1968. They live in Oxford
and have four children: three sons (1972, 1973 and 1977) - including the journalist and author Hugh Miles
- and one daughter (1979).
in 1960, serving overseas mainly in the Arab world
as well as spending periods at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
in London
. In 1964, he was posted as Second Secretary to Amman
, and as First Secretary
to Makulla in 1966. Miles was appointed Private Secretary
to the British High Commissioner in Aden
in 1967. In 1970, he was posted to Nicosia
and returned to London after three years. He was appointed Counsellor at Jedda
in 1975, and moved to Athens
in 1977. He became Head of the FCO's Near East and North African Department in 1980. He was appointed HM Ambassador to Libya
in 1984, where he broke off diplomatic relations after the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher
outside the Libyan embassy in London. Later in 1984, Miles moved to UKMIS New York
and, from 1985 to 1988, he was Ambassador to Luxembourg
.
After two years' secondment at the Northern Ireland Office
in Belfast
he became the first Director-General of the Joint Directorate for Overseas Trade Services, a new unit set up to improve British Government services to exporters, and travelled widely both in Britain and abroad. At the same time he was a non-executive Director of Vickers Defence Systems.
From 1993 to 1996 Miles was Ambassador to Greece
.
, and became chairman a decade later. He was for some years president of the Society for Libyan Studies, a learned society under the aegis of the British Academy
, and chairman of HOST, a charity which arranges visits to British homes for foreign students in Britain.
He is a deputy chairman of the Libyan British Business Council, set up with the approval of the British and Libyan Governments to promote trade and investment. He has been a regular visitor to the Middle East and to the former Soviet Union
(including in recent years as an election observer) since 1958.
, signed by 52 retired ambassadors and calling for a new approach to policy in Palestine
and Iraq
.
In the past four years he has written a long series of articles that were published in The Guardian
. His latest article entitled "The long road to normalisation" asked rhetoric
ally whether the recently signed compensation agreement between the United States
and Libya
will work. The article concluded:
On 22 November 2009, Miles published an article in the Independent on Sunday, in which he questioned the appointment of two British historians to the Iraq inquiry panel
because of their Jewish background and previous support for Israel
. Some commentators have described Miles's article as "blatantly anti-semitic".
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
. He is chairman of the international business development company MEC International.
Background
Oliver Miles was educated at Ampleforth CollegeAmpleforth College
Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, England, is the largest Roman Catholic co-educational boarding independent school in the United Kingdom. It opened in 1802, as a boys' school, and is run by the Benedictine monks and lay staff of Ampleforth Abbey...
and Oxford University, where he read Classical Mods
Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...
and Oriental Studies
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
(Arabic and Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
).
Miles did national service in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and studied Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
. In 1960, he studied Arabic at the Middle East Centre for Arabic Studies
Middle East Centre for Arabic Studies
The Middle East Centre for Arabic Studies was an Arabic language college in Chemlane , in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of Lebanon. It was opened by the British Government in 1947...
in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
He married Julia Lyndall Weiner, a social worker and sister of Edmund Weiner
Edmund Weiner
Edmund Weiner was co-editor of the Second Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary and Deputy Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary...
(deputy Chief Editor of the Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
) in 1968. They live in 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...
and have four children: three sons (1972, 1973 and 1977) - including the journalist and author Hugh Miles
Hugh Miles (journalist)
Hugh Miles is an award-winning freelance journalist and author, a presenter, producer and consultant specialising in the Middle East. Miles is contributing editor of Arab Media and Society, a media journal published by the American University in Cairo's Centre for Television...
- and one daughter (1979).
Diplomatic career
Oliver Miles joined the Her Majesty's Diplomatic ServiceHer Majesty's Diplomatic Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service is the diplomatic service of the United Kingdom, dealing with foreign affairs, as opposed to the Home Civil Service, which deals with domestic affairs...
in 1960, serving overseas mainly in the Arab world
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
as well as spending periods at 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 London
London
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...
. In 1964, he was posted as Second Secretary to Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, and as First Secretary
Diplomatic rank
Diplomatic rank is the system of professional and social rank used in the world of diplomacy and international relations. Over time it has been formalized on an international basis.-Ranks:...
to Makulla in 1966. Miles was appointed Private Secretary
Private Secretary
In the United Kingdom government, a Private Secretary is a civil servant in a Department or Ministry, responsible to the Secretary of State or Minister...
to the British High Commissioner in Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
in 1967. In 1970, he was posted to Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
and returned to London after three years. He was appointed Counsellor at Jedda
Jedda
Jedda was the last movie made by the Australian filmmaker Charles Chauvel. The film is most notable for being the first to star two Aboriginal actors in the leading roles, and also to be the first Australian film shot in colour...
in 1975, and moved to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
in 1977. He became Head of the FCO's Near East and North African Department in 1980. He was appointed HM Ambassador to Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
in 1984, where he broke off diplomatic relations after the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher
Yvonne Fletcher
WPC Yvonne Joyce Fletcher was a British police officer fatally shot during a protest outside the Libyan embassy at St. James's Square, London, in 1984. Fletcher, who had been on duty and deployed to police the protest, died shortly afterwards at Westminster Hospital...
outside the Libyan embassy in London. Later in 1984, Miles moved to UKMIS New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and, from 1985 to 1988, he was Ambassador to Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
.
After two years' secondment at the Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
he became the first Director-General of the Joint Directorate for Overseas Trade Services, a new unit set up to improve British Government services to exporters, and travelled widely both in Britain and abroad. At the same time he was a non-executive Director of Vickers Defence Systems.
From 1993 to 1996 Miles was Ambassador to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Retirement
After retiring from HM Diplomatic Service in 1996 Miles joined MEC International, a consultancy promoting business with the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, and became chairman a decade later. He was for some years president of the Society for Libyan Studies, a learned society under the aegis of the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
, and chairman of HOST, a charity which arranges visits to British homes for foreign students in Britain.
He is a deputy chairman of the Libyan British Business Council, set up with the approval of the British and Libyan Governments to promote trade and investment. He has been a regular visitor to the Middle East and to the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
(including in recent years as an election observer) since 1958.
Controversy
In April 2004, Miles initiated a controversial letter to Prime Minister, Tony BlairTony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, signed by 52 retired ambassadors and calling for a new approach to policy in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and Iraq
Iraq
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....
.
In the past four years he has written a long series of articles that were published in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
. His latest article entitled "The long road to normalisation" asked rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
ally whether the recently signed compensation agreement between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
will work. The article concluded:
The most important compensation issue, Lockerbie, has been settled on the basis that Libya agreed to hand over two suspects for trial in the Scottish courts and to accept responsibility for their actions. One was acquitted, the other convicted, but his conviction has been called into question by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review CommissionScottish Criminal Cases Review CommissionThe Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission is a non-departmental public body in Scotland, established by the Criminal Procedure Act 1995 ....
. There is the possibility of a retrial, and it remains to be seen what effect that might have on the Libya/America soap opera.
On 22 November 2009, Miles published an article in the Independent on Sunday, in which he questioned the appointment of two British historians to the Iraq inquiry panel
Chilcot Inquiry
The Iraq Inquiry, also referred to as the Chilcot Inquiry after its chairman, Sir John Chilcot, is a British public inquiry into the United Kingdom's role in the Iraq War...
because of their Jewish background and previous support for Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Some commentators have described Miles's article as "blatantly anti-semitic".