You might, very reasonably, expect the UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) to speak the language of the countries their policy affects. Or that when they brief politicians on crucial issues, that they have “immersed” themselves deep within foreign populations to understand fully the impact any new measures might have. Or that FCO security measures are strict enough to keep officials safe – but not so strict that they strangle any meaningful contact outside the embassies.
In recent years, any observer expecting these basic requirements will have been disappointed. In 2012, it was discovered that just one in forty diplomats spoke …read more
Source: Middle East Monitor
