Description

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So much of modern-day diplomacy still takes place behind closed doors, away from cameras and prying eyes. So what does this vital role really look like in today’s world –and what does it take to do it well?

From 2009 to 2014, Cathy Ashton was the EU’s first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, effectively Europe's foreign policy supremo responsible for coordinating the EU's response to international crises. Arriving in Brussels as a relative novice to international diplomacy, she faced the challenge of representing the views and values of 28 nations during one of the most turbulent times in living memory. Decades-old certainties were swept away in days. Hope rose and fell, often in a matter of hours.

From the frozen conflict of Ukraine to the Serbia-Kosovo deal, there were challenges, failures and moments of success. She encountered dictators and war criminals, and witnessed the aftermath of natural disasters, military action, and political instability. Working with US politicians and counterparts including John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Bill Burns, she negotiated historic settlements, such as the Iran nuclear deal. An ‘honest broker’, she navigated the needs of opposing politicians to chart a path towards collaboration and stability.

Now Ashton takes us behind the scenes to show us what worked and what didn’t, and how it felt to be in ‘the room where it happened’. From Serbia to Somalia, Libya to Haiti, she offers essential insight into how modern diplomacy works, examining the tools needed to find our way through the many challenges we face today.

About the Author

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Baroness Catherine Ashton served as the European Union’s first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy from 2009 to 2014, and the first female EU Commissioner for Trade. She is a life peer and former Leader of the House of Lords, and served as a UK government minister in the Education and Justice departments. She is a Distinguished Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC and a consultant to the Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.

Praise For…

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‘A riveting, absorbing account of modern diplomacy by one of the greatest international diplomats of recent times’ General David Petraeus (US Army, Ret.), former Director of the CIA

‘A remarkable and deeply insightful view of international diplomacy from the frontlines. Essential and invaluable.’ Fiona Hill, former official, US National Security Council, and author, There Is Nothing for You Here

‘Ashton has been at the secret heart of 21st century diplomacy from Ukraine to Kosovo to Iran … Extraordinary stories, extraordinary woman.’ Richard Osman, author, Thursday Murder Club series

‘Brilliant --suspenseful and dramatic. I read it in a day.’ Ken Follett, international bestselling author of The Pillars of the Earth

‘Riveting, deeply personal and wonderfully accessible’ Sir Kim Darroch, former British Ambassador to the US, National Security Advisor, and UK Permanent Representative to the EU

‘Ashton’s gripping memoirs are not only a perfect combination of very precise facts and touching personal emotions, but for all foreign policy observers they convey important lessons of the past to serve for the crises of today.’ Pierre Vimont, former French ambassador to the EU and the US

‘A colourful insider account of European diplomacy … It’s clear our politics would have turned out better if we had had more Cathy Ashtons’ Observer

‘A candid memoir of a fraught time in office provides a useful record of high level negotiation in Iran and Ukraine’ Guardian

‘A must for students of politics and a treat for lovers of general non-fiction.’ Misha Glenny, Rector of the Institute for Human Sciences, Vienna, and author, McMafia

‘Ashton’s detailed account in her book of the events leading up to Putin’s 2014 invasion is fascinating’ i news