FCO ANNOUNCES NEW UK SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR GEORGIA

1 Oct 2002 04:45 PM

The Foreign Secretary Jack Straw today announced that he has appointed Sir Brian Fall as the UK's Special Representative for Georgia. He said:

"I am committed to finding a way to help Georgia become prosperous, stable and able to live in harmony with its neighbours. This is why I am glad to appoint Sir Brian to this position. Sir Brian's experience of the region and his diplomatic skills will be invaluable in helping him fulfil this role."

In his capacity as Special Representative for Georgia, Sir Brian will also be the UK Senior Representative on the Group of Friends of the UN Secretary General on Georgia.

Sir Brian will take up his appointment on 1 October.

Notes for Editors

Sir Brian was a career member of HM Diplomatic Service from 1962 to 1995; he retired in its most senior grade as Ambassador to Russia. From October 1995 to September 2002 he was Principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.

Sir Brian has a consultancy agreement with Rio Tinto, which began shortly after his retirement from the Diplomatic Service in 1995. On the voluntary side, he will shortly be retiring as a member of the BBC Governors World Service Consultative Group. He remains a Governor of St Mary's School, Calne. He was appointed CMG in 1984, KCMG in 1992 and GCVO in 1994.

1992-1995 HM Ambassador to the Russian Federation, and concurrently to other former Soviet Republics
1989-1992 High Commissioner to Canada
1988-1989 Minister and Deputy Head of Mission, British Embassy, Washington
1986-1988 Assistant Under Secretary of State (Defence), Foreign and Commonwealth Office
1984-1986 Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General of NATO (Lord Carrington)
1982-1984 Principal Private Secretary to three successive Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs: Lord Carrington; Mr Francis Pym (now Lord Pym) and Sir
Geoffrey Howe (now Lord Howe).
1980-1981 Head of Eastern European and Soviet Department, FCO 1979-1980 Head of Energy, Science and Space Department, FCO 1977-1979 Political Counsellor and Head of Chancery, British Embassy Moscow
1975-1976 Deputy Director (Industrial Marketing), British Trade Development Office, New York
1971-1975 Eastern European and Soviet Department, FCO
1970-1971 Course Director, Civil Service College
1968-1970 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, UN Conference on Trade and Development, GATT
1965-1967 British Embassy Moscow
1962-1965 FCO

Sir Brian is married to the former Miss Delmar Roos, of New York City. The Falls have three daughters and four grandchildren.

Press Officer: Trish O'Donnell, 020 7270 3114