Interview with Oliver Miles

1992159696
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Description

Object description

British diplomat served with HM Diplomatic Service in Abu Dhabi, 1961-1963; served as First Secretary and Private Secretary to High Commissioner with HM Diplomatic Service in Aden, Federation of South Arabia, 1966-1967; served as diplomat with with HM Diplomatic Service in Cyprus, 1970-1973; served as Counsellor with with HM Diplomatic Service in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 1975-1977; diplomat with HM Diplomatic Service in Athens, Greece, 1977-1979; served as British Ambassador to Libya, 1984; served as British Ambassador to Greece, 1993-1996

Content description

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1936-1959: family; education. Recollections of period as diplomat with HM Diplomatic Service in Abu Dhabi, 1961-1963: training at Middle East Centre for Arab Studies (MECAS) in Lebanon prior to posting to Abu Dhabi; difficulties of learning Arabic; posting to Abu Dhabi; impressions of Abu Dhabi; living conditions for local people in Abu Dhabi during 1960s; history of area; character of ruler Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nayhan; relations between Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nayhan and British; importance of Arabian Gulf to British; difficulties of travelling through Red Sea. REEL 2 Continues: role of Royal Navy in area; reaction of Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nayhan to new oil wealth; later coup against Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nayhan led by his brother Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nayhan, 6/8/1966; building of first road in area; difficulty of communicating with outside world; British-Arab relations; British withdrawal; emergence of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Aspects of period as First Secretary and Private Secretary to British High Commissoner with HM Diplomatic Service in Aden, Federation of South Arabia, 1964-1967: move to Aden to serve on Constitutional Commission, 1964; background to fight for Independence; description of insurgent groups pushing for Independence, Front for the Liberation of Occupied South Yemen (FLOSY) and National Liberation Front (NLF). REEL 3 Continues: nature of postings, 1964-1967; reasons for carrying a gun in area; experience of violence in area; death of colleague, Derek Rose, 20/10/1966; attending Independence talks in Lausanne, Switzerland; helping to set up British Embassy in post-independence Aden. Aspects of period as diplomat with HM Diplomatic Service on Cyprus, 1970-1973: move to Cyprus, 1970; atmosphere in Cyprus; background to presence of United Nations forces on Cyprus; returning to Cyprus after Turkish invasion of 1973; division of island; difficulties of dealing with Turkish refugees in Greek portion of island; problems surrounding UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus; continuing importance of UK Sovereign Base Areas; Aspects of period as Counsellor with HM Diplomatic Service in Saudi Arabia, 1975-1977: posting to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 1975; opinion of Saudi Arabian people; restrictions on life in Saudi Arabia; uprising in Mecca; rumours surrounding death of princess. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as diplomat with HM Diplomatic Service in Athens, Greece, 1977-1979: posting to Athens, Greece, 1978; violence in area; history and activities of Revolutionary Organisation November 17 1975-2001; return to Athens as British Ambassador to Greece, 1993-1996. Aspects of period as British Ambassador to Libya, 1984: posting as Libya, 1984; shooting of Libyan journalist in London, 1984; demonstrations; sealing off of embassy by Libyan Police; attitude towards being trapped inside sealed embassy; intervention of Kuwaiti Foreign Minister; expelling of embassy staff from Libya; lowering of flag; memories of Colonel Mummar Gaddafi. REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as British Ambassador to Greece, 1993-1996: description of Imia Incident between Greece and Turkey, 12/1995-2/1996; history of divisions between Greece and Turkey. Reflections on period as diplomat with HM Diplomatic Service: training as Russian interpreter and reasons for not being posted to Moscow, Russian Federation; memories of High Commissioner to Aden, Sir Humphrey Trevelyan; memories of Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nayhan; memories of King Hussein of Jordan; memories of Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud; memories of Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), 1945-1989 (content), 1990 to the present day (content), 1945-1989 (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Giesler, Rodney William Aldous (Recorder)
Miles, Oliver (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2001-04-24
Dimensions: whole: Duration 150, Number Of Items 5
Catalogue number: 21597

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