John Thomson (diplomat)
Sir John Thomson GCMG (born 27 April 1927) is a retired British diplomat who was high commissioner to India and ambassador to the UN.
Career
John Adam Thomson was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy, the University of Aberdeen and Trinity College, Cambridge. He joined the Foreign Service in 1950[1] and served at Jeddah, Damascus and Washington, D.C. as well as posts at the Foreign office (later the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, FCO) and a secondment to the Cabinet Office. He was Minister and deputy Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council 1972–73; head of the UK delegation to Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions exploratory talks in Vienna 1973; assistant Under-Secretary at the FCO 1973–76; High Commissioner to India 1977–82; and Permanent Representative to the United Nations 1982–87.
Thomson retired from the Foreign Service in 1987 and among many activities was Associate Member of Nuffield College, Oxford, 1987–91, chairman of Minority Rights Group International 1991–99 and a trustee of the Indian National Trust UK Trust 1991–99.[2] He is an adviser to the British American Security Information Council and research affiliate within the Science, Technology and Global Security Working Group at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[3]
Thomson was appointed CMG in the New Year Honours of 1972,[4] knighted KCMG in the New Year Honours of 1978[5] and raised to GCMG in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1985.[6]
Publications
- Crusader Castles (with Robin Fedden), Murray, 1957. ISBN 0719504236
References
- THOMSON, Sir John (Adam), Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2012
- ↑ The London Gazette, 1 January 1954
- ↑ INTACH UK Trust, Heritage Chambers, 2008
- ↑ Sir John Thomson, British American Security Information Council
- ↑ Supplement to the London Gazette, 1 January 1972
- ↑ Supplement to the London Gazette, 31 December 1977
- ↑ Supplement to the London Gazette, 15 June 1985
Diplomatic posts | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by | High Commissioner to India 1977–1982 |
Succeeded by Sir Robert Wade-Gery |
Preceded by | Permanent Representative to the United Nations 1982–1987 |
Succeeded by Sir Crispin Tickell |
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- Use dmy dates from November 2013
- Use British English from November 2013
- 1927 births
- Living people
- Phillips Exeter Academy alumni
- Alumni of the University of Aberdeen
- Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge
- British diplomats
- High Commissioners of the United Kingdom to India
- Permanent Representatives of the United Kingdom to the United Nations
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
- British diplomat stubs