NEW AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ

26 Apr 2004 01:45 PM

Mr Edward Chaplin CMG, OBE, currently Director for Middle East and North Africa, has been appointed Her Majesty's Ambassador to Iraq with effect from 1 July 2004, when the Interim Iraqi Government will assume sovereignty and a new British Embassy will open in Baghdad.

The UK Special Representative for Iraq, Mr David Richmond will serve until 30 June 2004, when, as planned, that post along with the Coalition Provisional Authority will cease to exist. He will move on to another senior appointment in the Diplomatic Service.

The Foreign Secretary said, "The Prime Minister and I are delighted that Edward Chaplin will be our first Ambassador to the new Iraq. Like those who have served as Special Representative, John Sawers, Jeremy Greenstock and David Richmond, Edward Chaplin is one of our most senior and experienced diplomats and he is one of our most accomplished Arabists, with extensive and distinguished experience of the Middle East. He also spent five years of his childhood in Baghdad in the 1950s, as his father worked there as a businessman for ICI".

In addition to the new British Embassy in Baghdad, there will be a Consulate-General in Basra and a Representative Office in Northern Iraq. Simon Collis has been appointed Consul-General in Basra and Noel Guckian, Consul General to Northern Iraq.

CURRICULUM VITAE: EDWARD CHAPLIN

Full Name: Edward Graham Mellish Chaplin
Date of Birth: 21 February 1951
Family Status: Married to Nicola
Children: Two daughters (1984 &1989) and one son (1987) Awards: CMG, OBE

2002 - 2004 FCO (Director, Middle East & North Africa)
2000 - 2002 AMMAN (Ambassador)
1996 - 1999 FCO (Head of Middle East Department)
1992 - 1996 UK Mission to the UN and other international organisations, GENEVA (Deputy Head of Mission)
1990 - 1992 On Secondment to Price Waterhouse Management Consultants 1987 - 1989 FCO (Personnel Operations Department)
1985 - 1987 TEHRAN (Head of Chancery)
1981 - 1985 FCO (Near East & North Africa Department)
1979 - 1981 On Secondment as Private Secretary to Lord President of the Council & Leader of the House of Lords
1978 - 1979 Attended Ecole Nationale d'Administration (ENA), Paris 1977 - 1978 BRUSSELS (2nd Secretary, Chancery)
1975 - 1977 MUSCAT (3rd Secretary, Chancery)
1974 - 1975 Middle East Centre for Arabic Studies (Language Training)

1973 - 1974 FCO (Middle East Department)
1973 Entered FCO

CURRICULUM VITAE: SIMON COLLIS

Full Name: Mr Simon Paul Collis
Date of Birth: 23 February 1956
Family Status: Partner, Sandra
Children: One son (1975), one daughter (1980)

2000 - 2004 DUBAI (Consul General)
1999 On Secondment to BP
1996 - 1999 AMMAN (Counsellor & Deputy Head of Mission) 1994 - 1996 FCO (Deputy Head, Near East & North Africa Department) 1991 - 1994 NEW DELHI (1st Secretary, Political)
1988 - 1990 TUNIS (Deputy Head of Mission)
1987 - 1988 FCO (South Asian Department)
1986 NEW YORK (UK Mission to the UN, Temporary Duty)
1984 - 1986 FCO (Press Office)
1981 - 1983 BAHRAIN (3rd later 2nd Secretary, Chancery) 1979-80 Full-time Overseas Language Training
1978 Entered FCO (Southern European Department)

CURRICULUM VITAE: NOEL GUCKIAN

Full Name: Dr Noel Joseph Guckian OBE
Date of Birth: 6 March 1955
Family Status: Married to Lorna (also Diplomatic Service) Children: Three daughters (1992, 1994, 2001), one son (1997).

Since July 2002 DAMASCUS (Deputy Head of Mission)
1998 - 2001 TRIPOLI (Head of British Interests Section, later Charge D'Affaires, later Deputy Head of Mission)
1997 - 1998 FCO (Near East & North Africa Department)
1994 - 1997 MUSCAT (Deputy Head of Mission)
1992 - 1994 FCO (Head of Scott Inquiry Unit)
1991 - 1992 KUWAIT (Head of Political Section)
1990 - 1991 FCO
1990 TRIPOLI (Head of British Interests Section)
1988 PARIS (First Secretary, Financial)
1987-1988 FCO
1984-1987 JEDDA (Second Secretary, then Consul)
1982-1983 Arabic language studies at SOAS
1980 Entered FCO (Middle East Research Department)

Notes for Editors:

1. A United Kingdom military and civilian presence in Iraq is likely to be necessary for some time to come, possibly for several years. This will comprise:

- The British Embassy Baghdad led by a senior Ambassador with a large political section, a small consular and visa section, an economic/energy section, a defence section, a commercial section, a DFID presence, police advisers and British Council staff.

- In Basra, a Consulate-General with a smaller political section, military liaison, police trainers and UKTI and British Council staff. There will initially be a significant DfID presence (mainly through consultants), but this will diminish as programmes come to an end.

- In Northern Iraq, a representative office led by a Consul General. The office will serve as a base for regional visits by UKTI, DFID and the British Council.

2. A total of around 160 UK-based staff will be resident at our posts in Iraq during the first year or so after 30 June 2004. That figure includes 40 police advisers/trainers and 40 DfID staff. More than half of the remainder will be FCO officers, and there will also be a significant MOD element.

3. As far as possible, we will have all the planned staff in place and functioning on 1 July 2004, i.e. immediately after the installation of the Interim Iraqi Government. Several of the staff will arrive between now and 1 July, to ensure a smooth start on 1 July. Some of our staff already in Iraq (in the British Office Baghdad, the Office of the UK Special Representative and the CPA) will transfer into the new diplomatic posts on 1 July. This will help to provide continuity.

Press Office, Downing Street (West), London SW1A 2AH