Overview

This book is Jamsheed Marker's recollection, mostly from memory, of his varied diplomatic career in some of the world's most important capitals, and of travels that took him from the frozen wastes of Siberia and the Arctic to the desert sands of the Sahara. The author has met and known many of the world's leaders, and has been witness to some significant events of the second half of the twentieth century. Situated in a strategic position, the young country of Pakistan soon found itself the focus of world attention, especially after the Soviet invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan. The author, at the time Pakistan's ambassador to the US, was intimately involved in forging a joint strategy in one of the great geo-political battles of the 1980s - the effort to expel the Soviet army from Afghanistan. The author paints a vivid picture of the hectic behind the scenes efforts which culminated in the Geneva Accord in 1988 and subsequent withdrawal of Soviet forces. Jamsheed Marker has juxtaposed events in Pakistan concurrently with each of his ambassadorial assignments. This not only provides a link and continuous thread to the narrative but also contains the author's impressions of the Pakistani leaders under whom he served. He has recorded all his impressions with candour and recalls his friendships not only with eminent writers, artists and musicians of all nationalities, but also with the common citizens of the countries in which he served. The book is a valuable account of the art of diplomacy, as practised by an expert over a long period of time.

Full Product Details

9780195477795

Table of Contents

Reviews

The narrative sparkles with some humorous incidentsELEach chapter ends with a number of interesting anecdotes and 'running commentary' on the domestic situation. One relieves any stress; the other updates the reader to correlate diplomatic activity with the situation at home. Finally there are some rare photographs to provide value addition. --South Asia

<br> The narrative sparkles with some humorous incidentsELEach chapter ends with a number of interesting anecdotes and 'running commentary' on the domestic situation. One relieves any stress; the other updates the reader to correlate diplomatic activity with the situation at home. Finally there are some rare photographs to provide value addition. --South Asia<p><br>

Author Information

Jamsheed Marker was educated at the Doon School in Dehra Dun and then at Forman Christian College, Lahore, where he graduated as a Gold Medalist with an Honours Degree in Economics. He served during World War II as an officer in the Royal Indian Naval Volunteer Reserve, first in command of a magnetic minesweeper, and then on combined operations in Burma. In April 1965 Jamsheed Marker was appointed as High Commissioner of Pakistan to Ghana and over the next thirty years served as Ambassador in ten different posts, with a further nine concurrent accreditations. After his retirement, he was appointed by Kofi Annan as the UN Secretary General's Personal Representative for East Timor.

Tab Content 6

Countries Available