Salisbury Diplomatic Society Sir Antony Acland, KG GCMG GCVO
On Wednesday 1st February, the Salisbury Diplomatic Society had the honour of a visit from Sir Antony Acland. The Provost kindly hosted the event, and the talk was given to a full house in Election Hall. Having been Ambassador to Washington, Luxemburg and then head of the Diplomatic Service, Sir Antony was well placed to comment on a number of issues and on the future of the Service. He began with a general overview of his experiences, referring to a number of amusing experiences with ducks and lifts. He talked about the film ‘The Iron Lady’ which was very much in the news at the time of the talk. Considering the fact that Sir Antony was close friends with Mrs Thatcher, he was in a good position to talk on the subject and did so with panache, emphasising her role in the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The questions were wide-ranging and articulately expressed. They covered areas such as North Korea, and the current relationship between Great Britain and the United States. Sir Antony offered interesting and informed answers as well as giving a good idea of the challenging yet interesting life to be had when serving in the Foreign Office.
Tom Fetherstonhaugh (RGGP)
