Shared challenges
The UK Ambassador to Ireland, Julian King, speaks to Meadhbh Monahan about his desire for the UK and Ireland to become “better neighbours” and the need for Northern Ireland’s political parties to deal with political problems “effectively.”
Since his arrival in Dublin six months ago, Julian King has been getting straight down to the “business” of leading the British Embassy in its various political, economic and consular roles.
Aged 45, King admits many people were surprised that such a young Ambassador was appointed to Ireland. He has no qualms about his age and says that “anyone who gets the opportunity to do this job should leap at it.”
He acknowledges the troubled history between Ireland and Britain but insists on looking towards a future of “shared challenges as neighbours.”
When asked about the turbulent and violent history between Ireland and Britain, King says he “respects our shared past” but continues to look to the future.
He doesn’t comment directly on the fact that a section of people in Northern Ireland, still want a united Ireland. Instead, he claims the UK and Ireland are “intimately inter-linked” and that he has not encountered “cultural barriers.”
“I have encountered goodwill. There are big challenges but in my contact with the Irish Government and Irish authorities I have encountered a lot of positive goodwill to find ways to co-operate between the UK and Ireland.”
The personal welcome King has experienced has been “incredibly warm, friendly and positive.” He claims that “one of the joys of doing this job” is that “people want to engage and want to find effective ways of working together.”
Looking to Northern Ireland, King recognises that “there is a large chunk of work to do in relation to North South relations as well as the East West dimension.”
He refers specifically to the devolution of policing and justice and says it is “the right time” for the transfer of powers to the Executive.
“There are extensive discussions going on between the UK and Irish governments to try to remove any barriers or difficulties to the parties reaching a successful agreement.”
He adds: “We are the UK Embassy to Ireland so we are not active on the ground in the North but we need to be engaged and involved. We have a useful role to play in helping the engagement between the two governments.”
King recognises that as well as political challenges in Northern Ireland there are also security challenges.
“We are concerned about the increased activity by dissidents,” he says. But King is encouraged by the collaboration between the PSNI and An Garda Sioochana.
“That co-operation really is a great strength. It’s something that we try to help with.”
King believes that the Northern Ireland economy must be examined in the context of the UK and Irish economies. “We need to actively encourage opportunities to help the economic recovery. We must build on the very strong university and technology research base that exists across the island to find ways to [enhance] the skill and innovation that is there, and to make sure that we are creating a viable basis for an economic recovery.”
King has previously worked with Baroness Catherine Ashton, the new High Representative for foreign affairs in the European Union. He predicts that she “will do a really good job.”
“She is a very powerful communicator, is very good at building relationships and can build a shared approach to problems.”
Contemplating the main challenges for the UK and Ireland in 2010, King says: “As neighbours we must make sure we continue to get better at this relationship, by which I mean dealing with political problems effectively.”
Profile: Julian King CMG
King is married to Lotte Knudsen, Acting Director in the European Commission. She is based in Brussels and visits Dublin at the weekends where they go for walks on popular trails around Ireland.
He was on the Queen’s Honours list in 2006 and received an Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) which is given to people who have carried out non-military service in a foreign country.
His varied career began when he joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1985. In 1987 he was Private Secretary to the British Ambassador in Paris. In 1991 he moved to Luxembourg and The Hague and worked on European defence. From 1995 to 1998 King was stationed in Brussels and in 2003 he went to New York with the UK Mission and covered UN security matters.
