Frances Adamson is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She has been Deputy High Commissioner in London since July 2005, having served as Counsellor at the Australian High Commission from 1993 to 1997. She has had previous postings in Hong Kong and Taipei and did a brief stint at Australia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.
Mark Tokola is the Minister-Counselor for Economic Affairs and is a member of the US Senior Foreign Service. His most immediate posting before London was as Deputy Chief of Mission in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Ambassador Heifetz was born in Russia before emigrating to Israel at the age of 14. He spent seven years working for Israeli Intelligence and achieved the rank of Major in the Israeli Army. He has a Law degree from Tel Aviv University and is a member of the Israeli Bar.
John Bowis was welcomed by CFCC Chairman, Sir Ronald Halstead. He was pleased to be among long-established and very dear friends. In his speech he would look at aspects of the European Parliament.
The Ambassador addressed the group in a free and informal way. This was a time of big change in our countries, in Europe and even the Conservative Party.
Dr Lewis was introduced by the Chairman Sir Ron Halstead. He explained that the members of the Shadow Defence Team were effectively 'ghost' defence ministers – they have no executive power and are not supported by a panoply of civil servants. It is a challenge to hold the Government to account with such limited resources on the Opposition side.
Our Chairman Sir Ronald Halstead opened the meeting and Ambassador Bustani replied expressing his gratitude for this opportunity to share his views. He welcomed this informal dialogue [he spoke without notes for about an hour] about what his government is doing about external relations.
Ambassador of Italy HE Mr Giancarlo Aragona, Lunchtime talk at the House of Commons. His Excellency has been Ambassador to this country since 2004. He attended the first lunchtime (rather than evening) meeting to be held by the CFCC and talked about foreign relations with the UK.
Chairman of the CFCC, Sir Ronald Halstead CBE hosted the Annual Diplomatic Garden Party 2005, on behalf of the Conservative Foreign and Commonwealth Council.
Japan was the first Asian country to import the parliamentary cabinet system of the UK over 100 years ago – coming to the House is always a reminder of the long and profound history of democracy.
