Difference between revisions of "James Craig"

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|description=UK diplomat helped introduce the session on ''The Gulf And Afghanistan'' at the [[1988 Bilderberg]].
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|birth_date=13 July 1924
 
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|death_date=26 September 2017
 
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|title=UK/Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at Jedda
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|title=UK/Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Syrian Arab Republic
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'''James Craig''' helped introduce the session on ''The Gulf And Afghanistan'' at the [[1988 Bilderberg]].<ref name=bb1988report>[[File:Bilderberg-Conference-Report-1988.pdf]]</ref>
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'''Sir (Albert) James Macqueen Craig''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|GCMG}} (13 July 1924 &ndash; 26 September 2017<ref>http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/deaths/217688/craig </ref>) was a British diplomat who was ambassador to [[Syria]] and [[Saudi Arabia]], also an academic and writer. Craig helped introduce the session on ''The Gulf And Afghanistan'' at the [[1988 Bilderberg]].<ref name=bb1988report>[[File:Bilderberg-Conference-Report-1988.pdf]]</ref>
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==Career==
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Craig was born in [[Liverpool]] and educated at [[Liverpool Institute High School for Boys]]. He then won an [[Exhibition (scholarship)|exhibition]] to [[The Queen's College, Oxford]]. He gained first class in Classics [[Honour Moderations]] after his first year, then served in the army 1943–44 but left due to illness and returned to Oxford where he gained a first class degree in Arabic and Persian. He lectured in Arabic at [[Durham University]] 1948–55, taking a year off to study at [[Cairo University]] 1950–51. In 1955 he took leave from Durham to be senior lecturer at the [[Middle East Centre for Arab Studies]]. He joined the [[Foreign Office]] and was [[Political officer (British Empire)|Political Agent]] in the [[Trucial States]] 1961–64. He was posted to Beirut 1964–67 and to Jeddah 1967–70, then took a year's sabbatical fellowship at [[St Antony's College, Oxford]], 1970–71. His next post was head of the Near East and North Africa Department at the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] 1971–75. During this time, in November 1974 a British Airways aircraft was hijacked and flown to Tunis, where Craig was sent to deal with the crisis. The hijackers murdered a German banker but the remaining passengers and crew were released.
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Craig was deputy [[High Commissioner (Commonwealth)|High Commissioner]] at Kuala Lumpur 1975–76, ambassador to Syria 1976–79<ref>https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/47059/page/14951</ref> and ambassador to Saudi Arabia 1979–84<ref>https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/48055/page/64</ref> during which he had to rebuild relations with the Saudis were offended by the 1980 TV drama-documentary ''[[Death of a Princess]]''.
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He then retired from the Diplomatic Service and was visiting professor in Arabic and lecturer at [[Pembroke College, Oxford]], 1985–1991. Among other activities he was Director General of the Middle East Association 1985–93 and President 1993–2011.
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Craig was appointed [[Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George|CMG]] in the [[1975 New Year Honours]],<ref>https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/46444/page/4</ref> knighted [[Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George|KCMG]] in the [[1981 New Year Honours]]<ref>https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/48467/page/4</ref> and promoted to GCMG in the [[1984 New Year Honours]].<ref>https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/49583/page/4</ref> After his retirement he was made an Officer of the [[Order of Saint John (chartered 1888)|Order of St John]].<ref>https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/50023/page/2</ref>
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==References==
 
==References==
 
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Latest revision as of 23:17, 17 January 2022

Person.png James Craig  Rdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
(diplomat)
No image available (photo).jpg
Born13 July 1924
Died26 September 2017 (Age 93)
NationalityUK
Alma materLiverpool Institute High School for Boys, Queen's College (Oxford)
UK diplomat helped introduce the session on The Gulf And Afghanistan at the 1988 Bilderberg.

Sir (Albert) James Macqueen Craig GCMG (13 July 1924 – 26 September 2017[1]) was a British diplomat who was ambassador to Syria and Saudi Arabia, also an academic and writer. Craig helped introduce the session on The Gulf And Afghanistan at the 1988 Bilderberg.[2]

Career

Craig was born in Liverpool and educated at Liverpool Institute High School for Boys. He then won an exhibition to The Queen's College, Oxford. He gained first class in Classics Honour Moderations after his first year, then served in the army 1943–44 but left due to illness and returned to Oxford where he gained a first class degree in Arabic and Persian. He lectured in Arabic at Durham University 1948–55, taking a year off to study at Cairo University 1950–51. In 1955 he took leave from Durham to be senior lecturer at the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies. He joined the Foreign Office and was Political Agent in the Trucial States 1961–64. He was posted to Beirut 1964–67 and to Jeddah 1967–70, then took a year's sabbatical fellowship at St Antony's College, Oxford, 1970–71. His next post was head of the Near East and North Africa Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1971–75. During this time, in November 1974 a British Airways aircraft was hijacked and flown to Tunis, where Craig was sent to deal with the crisis. The hijackers murdered a German banker but the remaining passengers and crew were released.

Craig was deputy High Commissioner at Kuala Lumpur 1975–76, ambassador to Syria 1976–79[3] and ambassador to Saudi Arabia 1979–84[4] during which he had to rebuild relations with the Saudis were offended by the 1980 TV drama-documentary Death of a Princess. He then retired from the Diplomatic Service and was visiting professor in Arabic and lecturer at Pembroke College, Oxford, 1985–1991. Among other activities he was Director General of the Middle East Association 1985–93 and President 1993–2011.

Craig was appointed CMG in the 1975 New Year Honours,[5] knighted KCMG in the 1981 New Year Honours[6] and promoted to GCMG in the 1984 New Year Honours.[7] After his retirement he was made an Officer of the Order of St John.[8]


 

Event Participated in

EventStartEndLocation(s)Description
Bilderberg/19883 June 19885 June 1988Austria
Interalpen-Hotel
Telfs-Buchen		The 36th meeting, 114 participants
Many thanks to our Patrons who cover ~2/3 of our hosting bill. Please join them if you can.


References

  1. ↑ http://announcements.telegraph.co.uk/deaths/217688/craig
  2. ↑ File:Bilderberg-Conference-Report-1988.pdf
  3. ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/47059/page/14951
  4. ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/48055/page/64
  5. ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/46444/page/4
  6. ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/48467/page/4
  7. ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/49583/page/4
  8. ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/50023/page/2
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