Australia/Ambassador/Belgium

Australia/Ambassador/Belgium  (Ambassador/Belgium,  Ambassador/NATO,  Ambassador to the EU)
Ambassador Duncan Lewis (2012-14) later became leader of the spook agency ASIO.
Start	1 May 1959
As also ambassador to EU and NATO, this position is important, especially since 2005 when Australia became a NATO 'global partner'.

The Ambassador of Australia to Belgium is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia to the Kingdom of Belgium in Brussels.

The position has the rank and status of an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and holds non-resident accreditation for Luxembourg. The Ambassador also acts as Australia's Ambassador to the EU, since 1962, and Ambassador to NATO.

History

Belgium and Australia have had official diplomatic relations since 1 May 1959 when Australia appointed Edwin McCarthy, in The Hague, as the non-resident Ambassador/Belgium. McCarthy also was Australia's first Ambassador to the European Communities, when he was appointed in March 1962, just before he left his post in the Netherlands and Belgium, until he retired in 1964. When McCarthy retired, Ralph Harry succeeded him as both ambassador to Belgium and the European Communities (became the EU in 1993). Australia has been involved on an official level (as a 'global partner') with NATO since 2005 and the first Australian Ambassador/NATO was Brendan Nelson, appointed on 20 January 2012.

 

Office Holders on Wikispooks

Name	From	To	Description
Duncan Lewis	18 October 2012	18 October 2014	Includes EU and NATO
David Sadleir	1991	1992

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