Colin Crowe

Sir Colin Tradescant Crowe GCMG (7 September 1913 – 19 July 1989) was a British diplomat who was stationed in Egypt at a critical period, and afterwards was ambassador to Saudi Arabia, high commissioner to Canada and permanent representative at the United Nations.

Colin Tradescant Crowe was born in Yokohama, Japan, where his father, Edward Crowe (later Sir Edward), also a diplomat, was commercial attaché at the British Embassy. He was educated at Stowe School and Oriel College, Oxford, where he gained a first-class degree in modern history. He then joined the Diplomatic Service and served as in Peking 1936–38 and at Shanghai 1938–40. After postings in Washington, D.C., Paris and Tel Aviv he served again in Peking (Beijing) 1950–53. Chinese 'volunteers' were fighting the Korean War and, although Britain had recognised the People's Republic of China, the communists harassed British diplomats. Crowe's brother-in-law, Antonio Riva, was executed in August 1951 on a charge of conspiring to murder chairman Mao Zedong.

Crowe was appointed as prospective chargé d'affaires in Cairo in 1957. Diplomatic relations had ceased during the Suez crisis and Crowe was unable to proceed to Cairo until 1959. His task was to overcome Egyptian suspicion and the after-effects of the Suez war so as to restore normal relations. He succeeded, and ambassadors were exchanged in 1961.

Universally liked and respected by all with whom he came in contact, he skilfully addressed the problems ... A man of less genuine modesty would have made more of what had been a major diplomatic triumph.

Crowe moved on to be deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York City. In 1963 he was appointed Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the first since the Suez crisis. After a sabbatical year as supernumerary fellow of St Antony's College, Oxford 1964–65 he served as Chief of Administration, HM Diplomatic Service, 1965–68; High Commissioner to Canada 1968–1970; and Permanent Representative to the United Nations 1970–1973.

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