Ambassador travels to New England (August 01, 2009)
British Ambassador Sir Nigel Sheinwald and Lady Sheinwald visited Massachusetts and Maine on 30-31 July to discuss foreign policy challenges that affect New England, as well as to promote UK-US trade and academic relations.
Boston
To mark the start of the British Consulate's 'Breakfast & Bloggers' series, which will regularly bring together officials from the British government with the local new media community in Boston, Sir Nigel met with local online commentators for a breakfast discussion on the impact of web 2.0 on global affairs.
The Ambassador then met Susan Hockfield, President of MIT, to discuss the importance of university collaboration between the US and the UK. He also met with Massachusetts Senate President Therese Murray.
He later discussed the state of the economy in New England and the UK with the board of the British American Business Council of New England.
The Ambassador also spoke with the Boston Globe about the situation in Afghanistan.
Maine
Sir Nigel and Lady Sheinwald traveled to Bar Harbor, Maine on Friday 31 July where they will visit the historic Claremont Hotel. Sir Nigel delivered a speech entitled "Life on the edge: why the UK and Maine share an international outlook." The Ambassador discussed the importance of global cooperation on trade, climate change and on security issues.
On the topic of Afghanistan and Pakistan, he said:
"These two countries, though far away, are crucial to both your security and ours. It was Al Qaida, sheltered in Afghanistan by the Taliban, who launched the attacks of 9/11; and from their new bases along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border targeted London in 2005. Three quarters of the terrorist plots uncovered by the UK Security Service can be traced back to the ungoverned spaces of Pakistan. Though Afghanistan and Pakistan are distinct, we need to look at them holistically; and we need to succeed in both and deny Al Qaida a future base to launch attacks on the world. "
The Ambassador also wrote an op-ed for the Portland Press Herald entitled, "Protectonist measures don't serve either progress or prosperity."
