Shridath rampal biography channel

Cancel Report. Create a new account. Log In. Browse Biographies. Quiz Are you a biography pro? A James Cameron. It was then that he set out on his mission to see the establishment of an economic world order where developing countries would better benefit and apartheid in South Africa would be brought to an end. Sir Shridath also harboured a deep commitment to human rights and was once a member of the International Commission of Jurists.

After his time as Secretary General for the Commonwealth ended, he then went on to serve as head of the World Conservation Union and was a key member of the Earth Summit in where he doubled down on his desire for international economic reform. Sir Shridath lived to be over 90 years old — a long time to be alive. Longevity brings with it experiences that he has shared through the writing of several texts.

Yes, she persuaded Botha to accept it, but for her own reasons. It was very important to her. SO: She also came to Kuala Lumpur arguing that the Commonwealth could start rolling back sanctions because Walter Sisulu had been released, as had others. Although Mandela, of course, was still a prisoner. SR: [ Laughter ] No. Actually, she still in her mind regarded Mandela as a terrorist — after the EPG.

SO: With the benefit of hindsight, it seems to me that she was certainly a lady who would not be told, and who was being wound up by the press. But I think in her mind — forget Mandela — she never got rid of the notion that the ANC was a terrorist organisation. And her concept of terrorism was the IRA. The IRA influenced her thinking enormously, and you can understand why.

SO: Totally. Those were the lenses through which she saw another three-letter organisation. Think of them as partisans, think of Yugoslavia. That is what these people think they are doing. But the direct domestic analogy was understandable. I mean, in another context, she might include the PLO, but…. SO: Well, you shridath rampal biography channel living in London.

And then there was the attack at the Conservative Party Conference in Brighton, where she was nearly killed, and friends of hers were. Actually, my father was on an IRA hit list in the late s, and he had to have hour police protection. SO: And I remember staying with my parents when my son was tiny, running downstairs in the middle of the night, and there were three men sitting round the kitchen table.

SO: Well, my father had to. I had to check under the car every morning if I was staying there. It became very normal. And the other thing is, Mrs Thatcher never knew South Africa. You know? SO: By Denis Thatcher? SO: Well, he knew a type — a version — of life in South Africa. SR: Those were the lenses. But, you know, you have the other peculiarities.

She was many people. It was Margaret Thatcher who nominated me for a second and third term. SO: Indeed, she had a very high regard for you as an effective Secretary General, hence the signing of the photograph…. SO: …and the lunch that she gave you before you stepped down, that you talk about in your book. She was a generous political adversary, a generous politician.

SO: No, indeed. SO: Yes, as you say, that was the other Mrs Thatcher. Sir, please, could I ask you about Dr Mahathir and his changing attitude towards the Commonwealth? Earlier you made reference to the importance of hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the Commonwealth Games …. SR: Yes, well, I take a lot of credit for his change.

I spoke to him at great length. I was very anxious to bring Malaysia into the Commonwealth. It was a Commonwealth member, but Mahathir was more sceptical than Trudeau was, in the beginning. SR: I think there was that, and I think he was slightly anti-monarchical and translated this into the Commonwealth. SO: Dr Mahathir had had a particular personal experience of British colonialism, given his age and his own personal background.

Shridath rampal biography channel

SR: Before the Malaysia meeting [in ]. Because my object was to try to get a summit in Malaysia. Change it. Have a hand in doing something about it, not sulking. You run the shridath rampal biography channel. He rose to the challenge. And then, as it went along, he began to see advantages in hosting the summit. He held a retreat at Langkawi, which was his constituency.

He developed this huge conference complex there, and it was a brilliant summit. SO: Indeed, and the Langkawi Declaration that came out of it: he was determined it was not going to be a single issue summit on South Africa…. And, you know, from there on, he and his wife — his wife played an important part in it — were enthusiastic hosts. They held a sing-song at their retreat, led by the two of them.

They are both doctors. SO: So, how long was this campaign by you to acculturate Dr Mahathir to the advantages of the Commonwealth? Were you aware that he had also requested a briefing document from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Malaysia and from ISIS — which was his independent think-tank — on the benefits or the disadvantages of Commonwealth membership?

So, in a sense, he was a Commonwealth man, and I knew I had him on my side. I know that these figures were very important contributory influences, with whom Dr Mahathir would discuss his foreign policy and use as his sounding board. SR: Over that period, Mahathir became — and very much through the Commonwealth and through all that we were talking about — very much a man of the South.

So, Malaysia, which had always been a little distant from these things, became, under Mahathir…. SO: …and that the Commonwealth provided a platform for Malaysia to reach out towards a relatively unknown continent, but one that for Malaysia could prove advantageous. Sir, with your benefit of the long view, what do you feel about the future of the Commonwealth now?

I think it has lost its way. I mean, my years, in a sense, were lucky because I had a cause. SO: You did, with development and the struggle against apartheid. And you had a high value media cause. I think the Commonwealth could have a cause — could have causes — and fight for them and pursue them, but it seems to have lost [its] fight.

So, I am troubled, and the choice of the next Secretary General is going to be absolutely crucial. There has been a dramatic contraction in the number of personnel, and…. SR: No, I know. And to me, because I really do believe that it is a global asset, it diminishes the global nature [of the organisation]. SO: Yes, and, of course, he was a long-standing UN official….

Sir Sonny, thank you so much indeed for a wonderful discussion. I am very grateful indeed. SO: How did you manage that? SO: So, where did you have this discussion? SR: In Georgetown, prior to the Kingston meeting. SO: Do you know how the British government felt? SO: Indeed, a choice between two evils rather than the lesser of two evils.

SO: An incomparable opportunity, yes. SO: Did he? SO: Who led the discussion thereafter? SO: Did you maintain that contact? SR: I did. Right through, right through. SO: All the way through from ? SR: No, no. SO: Were you kept briefed about the Owen-Vance discussions? SR: …and I welcomed it. You were aware of it? They really wanted it to be their own thing.

SO: Ah, so, you were the recipient of a number of different confidences? SO: Do you mind elaborating a little on that? SO: So, it was too much of a political compromise? SR: It was too much of a compromise. So, the package as a whole — as Nyerere saw it — was a sell-out. SO: After the discovery of diamonds inyes. The whole Guyana connection at that time did.

SR: Oh, it went down well with Michael, because we were very good friends. SO: …and personalities. SO: Do you think cricket helped at all in that? SR: [ Laughter ] It did, it did. It meant so much more in terms of the struggle. SO So, it redoubled your determination? SO: So, it was determination for social justice? SR: Yes, absolutely. SO: And then there was the coup.

SR: Absolutely, and I drew on that. SO: But Amin very definitely shridath rampal biography channel to come. SO: Was there one key lever? SO Did you ever go to Kampala? SO: Better than a shopping centre! SO: I bet you were! SO: As you say, buffoonery, but dangerous buffoonery. SR: Very, very dangerous. SR: No, not at all. SO: Were you invited or was this on your own initiative?

SO: But did Ireland want the Commonwealth involved? SO: So, were you part of that lobbying process? SO: Yes, indeed. SO: He would have done, yes. SO: Yes, he died in a car crash on 26 December SR: Robert distanced himself a little from the Secretariat. SO: Did he now? That I can understand, in the context of the early s, once the ANC had been unbanned as a political party and [was] in negotiations with the NP government… SR: Yes, and it was mainly the land.

SO: But if they were focussing on their own struggle…? SR: Yes, it was, but Mugabe made it difficult. SO: Indeed, he did. It would be unthinkable of the Mugabe we know. SR: Yes, Don asked me to write him, and I did. I never got a reply. SO: Did you not? SR: I pleaded with him. SR: [ Laughter ]. You obviously make express reference to your participation in the Commissions and the expert groups… SR: Yes, the expert groups.

SO: Perhaps I was just greedy for more! SO: To boost its funding? SO: Well, Sir, your memoir was over pages. SR: [ Laughter ] Yes. SO: And over cricket, as well! SO: Okay, I see. And the person who got drawn into that — and again, you know, I forgot to add this in my memoirs, but can now —… SO: Please do. SO: He went against his officials and his advisors?

SO: Okay, so that was bigger fight? SO: …which was designed to iron out fluctuations in commodity prices. SO: In what way did it influence developments around it? SO: In Guyana, in I saw the site of the meeting earlier this week. SR: Yes, but it burnt down. SO: Is that where you first met him? He was brilliant… SO: A brilliant mind. SO: I do, yes.

SR: That McNamara is right. SO: How political was that appointment? SO: Very, very lucky to get her. SR: Yes, well, that was typically Michael! SO: Were you ever worried about that? That said something. Or was this something that was a domestic issue within the Indian state, and it was not the responsibility of the Secretary General… SR: I think it was the latter.

SO: In ? He dared not. In the Eastern Caribbean, it was Guyana and Trinidad — Burnham [in Guyana] and Chambers in Trinidad — who tried to make a stand, but… SO: Were they on the phone to you straight away when the news of the invasion came through? SO: No, not at all. SO: Sadly, no. SR: And they are still very confused. SO: Indeed, it was a very large rock to drop into a small pool.

Obviously, this sense was not something either Thatcher or Carrington conveyed to you… SR: I think that was what he conveyed to her. SR: Yes, very complex. SR: Yes, in a strange way, because she made it happen. It was the beginning of the negotiations. And so, yes, she did do that — but in that context. SR: Really. Well, he would have been.

But that is not how she would be generally regarded! SO: Really? SR: Very sceptical. SO: Do you know why? Archived from the original on 29 July Stabroek News. Retrieved 27 July Retrieved 30 August Retrieved 19 July Barbados Advocate. Archived from the original on 28 July Further reading [ edit ]. External links [ edit ]. Chief Emeka Anyaoku. Baron Scarman.

Secretaries-General of the Commonwealth of Nations. Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Guyana. Members of the Order of New Zealand. Michael Duffy C. Arnold Nordmeyer C. Shridath Ramphal Bill Pickering. Authority control databases.