Alyson Bailes
Encyclopedia
Alyson Bailes is a former English diplomat who lives in Iceland
.
She was born in Manchester
in the United Kingdom. She graduated from Somerville College, University of Oxford
in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree (First Class Honors) in Modern History and a Master of Arts in 1971.
She joined the London Foreign and Commonwealth Office
in 1969 as a Desk Officer for the Western European Department and in 1970, received her first international posting as a Desk Officer at the British Embassy in Budapest
. From 1974 to 1976, she served as Second Secretary in the UK Delegation to NATO. In 1976, she worked in London in the European Community Department (Internal) at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
In 1979, she served on a special mission as an assistant to the EC “Committee of Wise Men,” appointed by the European Council
to advise on institutional improvements in advance of Greek accession. In November 1979, Alyson Bailes was on loan to the British Ministry of Defence as Head of Section in DS11, a civilian department dealing with defence outside the NATO area. In June 1981 she was posted to a job covering defence issues at the British Embassy in Bonn
.
In 1984, she returned to London as Deputy Head of the Policy Planning Staff
. From August 1987 to November 1989, she served at the British Embassy Beijing
as Deputy Head of Mission, Consul-General, and a member of the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group on the Future of Hong Kong. From January to July 1990, she took sabbatical leave to research and write on relations between China and Central/Eastern Europe at “Chatham House” (the Royal Institute for International Affairs) in London.
From August 1990 to end-1993, Bailes served as Deputy Head of Mission and Consul General at the British Embassy in Oslo
. In 1994, she became Head of the Security Policy Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. She took a further leave of absence from the British Diplomatic Service to work as Vice President for the European Security Programme at the Institute for EastWest Studies
(now EastWest Institute
) in New York from April 1996 to August 1997. She was then selected as Political Director of the Western European Union
in Brussels where she served from September 1997 to July 2000.
Returning to the Diplomatic Service, Bailes became British Ambassador to Finland
from November 2000-June 2002. She left that appointment, and resigned from the British Service, to take up her post at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) from July 2002. In 2007 she became a Visiting Professor at the University of Iceland
.
Since 1990 Bailes has published many articles in international journals, and some book chapters, on subjects principally of European defence, regional security cooperation, and arms control. Her main leisure interests are music, travel, and nature study. She is a member of the Advisory Council of Independent Diplomat
. In addition she is a visiting professor to the College of Europe
teaching a course in New Security Challenges and Security Governance.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
She was born in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in the United Kingdom. She graduated from Somerville College, University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree (First Class Honors) in Modern History and a Master of Arts in 1971.
She joined the London Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
in 1969 as a Desk Officer for the Western European Department and in 1970, received her first international posting as a Desk Officer at the British Embassy in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. From 1974 to 1976, she served as Second Secretary in the UK Delegation to NATO. In 1976, she worked in London in the European Community Department (Internal) at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
In 1979, she served on a special mission as an assistant to the EC “Committee of Wise Men,” appointed by the European Council
European Council
The European Council is an institution of the European Union. It comprises the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council, currently Herman Van Rompuy...
to advise on institutional improvements in advance of Greek accession. In November 1979, Alyson Bailes was on loan to the British Ministry of Defence as Head of Section in DS11, a civilian department dealing with defence outside the NATO area. In June 1981 she was posted to a job covering defence issues at the British Embassy in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
.
In 1984, she returned to London as Deputy Head of the Policy Planning Staff
Policy Planning Staff
The Policy Planning Staff is the chief strategic arm of the United States Department of State. It was created in 1947 by renowned Foreign Service Officer George F...
. From August 1987 to November 1989, she served at the British Embassy Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
as Deputy Head of Mission, Consul-General, and a member of the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group on the Future of Hong Kong. From January to July 1990, she took sabbatical leave to research and write on relations between China and Central/Eastern Europe at “Chatham House” (the Royal Institute for International Affairs) in London.
From August 1990 to end-1993, Bailes served as Deputy Head of Mission and Consul General at the British Embassy in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. In 1994, she became Head of the Security Policy Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. She took a further leave of absence from the British Diplomatic Service to work as Vice President for the European Security Programme at the Institute for EastWest Studies
EastWest Institute
The EastWest Institute , originally known as the Institute for East West Security Studies, is an international not-for-profit, non-partisan "think and do" tank focusing on international conflict resolution through a variety of means, including track 2 diplomacy and track 1.5 diplomacy , hosting...
(now EastWest Institute
EastWest Institute
The EastWest Institute , originally known as the Institute for East West Security Studies, is an international not-for-profit, non-partisan "think and do" tank focusing on international conflict resolution through a variety of means, including track 2 diplomacy and track 1.5 diplomacy , hosting...
) in New York from April 1996 to August 1997. She was then selected as Political Director of the Western European Union
Western European Union
The Western European Union was an international organisation tasked with implementing the Modified Treaty of Brussels , an amended version of the original 1948 Treaty of Brussels...
in Brussels where she served from September 1997 to July 2000.
Returning to the Diplomatic Service, Bailes became British Ambassador to Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
from November 2000-June 2002. She left that appointment, and resigned from the British Service, to take up her post at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) from July 2002. In 2007 she became a Visiting Professor at the University of Iceland
University of Iceland
The University of Iceland is a public research university in Reykjavík, Iceland, and the country's oldest and largest institution of higher education. Founded in 1911, it has grown steadily from a small civil servants' school to a modern comprehensive university, providing instruction for about...
.
Since 1990 Bailes has published many articles in international journals, and some book chapters, on subjects principally of European defence, regional security cooperation, and arms control. Her main leisure interests are music, travel, and nature study. She is a member of the Advisory Council of Independent Diplomat
Independent Diplomat
Independent Diplomat is a non-profit organisation founded in 2004 by former British diplomat Carne Ross to give advice and assistance in diplomatic strategy and technique to governments and political groups - such as providing 'freelance' diplomats to unrecognised governments Independent Diplomat...
. In addition she is a visiting professor to the College of Europe
College of Europe
The College of Europe is an independent university institute of postgraduate European studies with the main campus in Bruges, Belgium...
teaching a course in New Security Challenges and Security Governance.