Balancing Acts - Reflections of a New Zealand Diplomat

By Dunmore Publishing | Posted: Tuesday July 24, 2018

Old Boy Gerald McGhie gives a fascinating and insightful account of some of the highlights of almost 40 years as a New Zealand diplomat

This is Gerald McGhie's fascinating and insightful account of some of the highlights of almost 40 years service as a New Zealand diplomat - most notably in the Soviet Union - twice - first during the Brezhnev years of the Cold War; and second from 1990 when he witnessed the dramatic events that led to the fall of Gorbachev, the rise of Boris Yeltsin and the collapse of the Soviet Union, which saw him become New Zealand's last Ambassador to the Soviet Union and first to Russia. McGhie worked in Samoa earlier - shortly before independence in the 1960s, and later in Papua New Guinea. The author also presents a snapshot of the activities of a Wellington-based foreign service officer during the period he worked closely with the Foreign Minister on the sporting-contact issue in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games in 1990. He also provides a personal perspective on New Zealand's foreign policy in the modern era.

Gerald McGhie is now retired from New Zealand's Diplomatic Service - in which he served - for almost forty years as a diplomat and ambassdor: to Samoa, Russia (twice as Ambassador) and Papua New Guinea. He also had a posting in New York and served in the Foreign Office in Wellington between postings.

Gerald McGhie gives a fascinating and insightful account of some of the highlights of almost 40 years as a New Zealand diplomat, including his two postings in Moscow: first during the Brezhnev years of the Cold War; and second from 1990 when he witnessed the dramatic events that led to the fall of Gorbachev, the rise of Boris Yeltsin and the collapse of the Soviet Union, which saw him become New Zealand’s last Ambassador to the Soviet Union and first to Russia.

Earlier he worked twice in the South Pacific: in Samoa where the close connection with New Zealand added a special, friendly dimension to the posting, and later in Papua New Guinea. He discusses New Zealand’s relations with that resource-rich and intriguing country whose population is larger than New Zealand’s.

The author also presents a snapshot of the activities of a Wellington-based foreign service officer during the period when he worked closely with the Foreign Minister on the sporting-contacts issue in the lead-up to the successful Commonwealth Games in Auckland in 1990. A final chapter provides a personal perspective on New Zealand’s foreign policy in the modern era. In 2005 Gerald McGhie received a QSO.

This book is available for purchase online via Dunmore Publishing Ltd @ [email protected]