Guillaume Metten
{{Short description|Belgian diplomat (1938–2020)}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Guillaume Metten
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| office1 = Belgian Ambassador to Iran
| term_start1 = 28 Oct 1999
| term_end1 = 19 Feb 2003
| office2 = Belgian Ambassador to India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives
| term_start2 = 3 Oct 1995
| term_end2 = 1999
| office3 = Belgian Ambassador to Mauritania
| term_start3 = Nov 1991
| term_end3 = 1992
| office4 = Belgian Ambassador to Morocco
| term_start4 = 1989
| term_end4 = 1992
| birth_date = {{birth date|1938|07|19|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Argenteau, Visé, Belgium
| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|11|13|1938|07|19|df=yes}}
| death_place = Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium
| education =
| children =
| relatives =
}}
Guillaume Metten (19 July 1938, Argenteau - 13 November 2020, Ixelles){{Cite web|title=Décès de Monsieur Guy METTEN (Rhéto 1956)|trans-title=Death of Mr. Guy METTEN (Rhéto 1956)|last=Xhonneux|first=Louis|date=2020-11-21|publisher=Amicale des anciens du Collège Saint-Hadelin|url=https://blog.amicaledesanciensdesainthadelin.be/2020/11/21/deces-de-monsieur-guy-metten-rheto-1956/|access-date=2021-04-24|language=fr-FR}} was a senior Belgian diplomat and ambassador to Iran,{{cite web|url=http://www.basicint.org/guillaume-metten|title=Guillaume Metten|date=2011-06-09|publisher=British American Security Information Council|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521180423/https://basicint.org/guillaume-metten|archive-date=2014-05-21}} India, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives,{{cn|date=March 2025}}, Sri Lanka, Morocco, and Mauritania. After his retirement in 2003, he became vice president of the European Institute for International Law and International Relations.{{cn|date=March 2025}}
Career
Metten joined the Belgian diplomacy in 1965 and was assigned to the Brazzaville Embassy as attaché from 1967 to 1970. He passed a commercial exam from the central Belgian administration and became Secretary in the Ankara Embassy from 1971 to 1972. From there, he was appointed First Secretary of the Kigali Embassy (1972-1975). He worked as the designated counsellor in the Office of the Minister for Cooperation and Development (1975-1977), a counsellor in Warsaw (1977-1980), and Minister-Counsellor in Tokyo (1981-1982). He was then Deputy Chief of Staff for Minister of Foreign Affairs Leo Tindemans from 1982 to 1985.{{cn|date=March 2025}}
His first ambassador role came in 1985, when he was placed in Dakar with responsibility to seven West African countries. In 1989, he left Senegal for a new position as Belgian Ambassador to Morocco in Rabat.{{cn|date=March 2025}} Mauritania approved him as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in 1991.{{cite web|url=https://www.lesoir.be/art/avis-divers_t-19911108-Z04M4U.html|title=Avis divers|trans-title=Miscellaneous opinions|date=1991-11-08|publisher=Le Soir|language=fr|access-date=2025-03-24}} He then worked as Chief of Field Staff in the Belgian central administration between 1992 and 1995 before being assigned as Ambassador to India in New Delhi, a role he held until 1999.{{cite web|url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/fe/daily/19980317/07655794.html|title=Economy Briefing|date=1998-03-17|publisher=The Indian Express|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521190027/http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/fe/daily/19980317/07655794.html|archive-date=2014-05-21}}{{cite report|url=https://www.indianembassybrussels.gov.in/pdf/MEA_India%20and%20Belgium_Luxembourg_Book.pdf|title=India, Belgium & Luxembourg: 70 years of diplomatic relations|publisher=Embassy of India, Brussels|date=2017|page=93|access-date=2025-03-24}} Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives,{{cn|date=March 2025}} and Sri Lanka were also under his jurisdiction at this time.{{cite book|url=https://www.historyofceylontea.com/ceylon-publications/fergusons-directory/1997-1999-fergusons-ceylon-directory/pdf/resources/1997-1999-fergusons-ceylon-directory.pdf|title=Ferguson's Sri Lanka Directory 1997-1999|edition=127|publisher=The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon|via=History of Ceylon Tea|page=67|date=1999|access-date=2025-03-24}} His final assignment was as Ambassador to Iran; he lived in Tehran from 28 October 1999 to 19 February 2003, when he was honorably discharged so he could retire.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1034352.stm|title='Belgian spy' still held|date=2000-11-22|publisher=BBC}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rts.ch/audio-podcast/2013/audio/ouverture-des-negociations-sur-le-nucleaire-iranien-a-geneve-25648736.html|title=Ouverture des négociations sur le nucléaire iranien à Genève|trans-title=Iranian nuclear negotiations open in Geneva|publisher=Le Journal du matin|via=RTS|date=2013-11-07|access-date=2025-03-24|language=fr}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/article_body.pl?language=fr&caller=summary&pub_date=00-03-04&numac=2000015024|title=Par les arrêtés suivants, les agents mentionnés ci-après ont été adjoints au poste repris en regard de leur nom...|trans-title=By the following orders, the agents mentioned below were added to the position listed opposite their name...|date=2000-03-04|publisher=Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation|access-date=2025-03-24|language=nl}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/article_body.pl?language=nl&caller=summary&pub_date=03-07-04&numac=2003015126|title=Bij de volgende koninklijke besluiten werden de hierna vermelde Ambassadeurs in dezelfde hoedanigheid geaccrediteerd in de volgende landen...|trans-title= Foreign Service Appositions In the following royal decrees, the Ambassadors listed below were accredited in the same capacity in the following countries...|date=2003-07-04|publisher=Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation|access-date=2025-03-24|language=nl}} He was promoted to Administrative First Class on 1 October 2001.{{cn|date=March 2025}}
Metten spent his days in retirement focused on Middle Eastern and North African issues. He wrote several papers and attended conferences internationally. He was also Director of Research in the department of international relations at the European Institute for International Law and International Relations.{{cn|date=March 2025}} In June 2011, he was one of six former European ambassadors who published an op-ed supporting Iran's right to own nuclear technology as part of the standing international agreement for mutually-assured destruction. The other ambassadors who co-authored the paper were Richard Dalton (UK), Steen Hohwü-Christensen (Sweden), Paul von Maltzahn (Germany), Guillaume Metten (Belgium), François Nicoullaud (France), and Roberto Toscano (Italy).{{Cite news |last=Dalton |first=Richard |date=2011-06-09 |title=Iran is not in breach of international law |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/jun/09/iran-nuclear-power-un-threat-peace |access-date=2024-05-31 |work=The Guardian |language= |issn=0261-3077}}{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-xpm-2011-jun-09-la-oe-ambassadors-iran-20110609-story.html|title=Nuclear proliferation: Engaging Iran|date=2011-06-09|last1=Dalton|first1=Richard|last2= Hohwü-Christensen|first2=Steen|last3=Von Maltzahn|first3=Paul|last4=Nicoullaud|first4=François|last5=Toscano|first5=Roberto|publisher=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2025-03-24}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/break-the-iranian-nuclear-deadlock/article4260961/|title=Break the Iranian nuclear deadlock|date=2011-06-09|last1=Dalton|first1=Richard|last2= Hohwü-Christensen|first2=Steen|last3=Von Maltzahn|first3=Paul|last4=Nicoullaud|first4=François|last5=Toscano|first5=Roberto|publisher=The Globe and Mail|access-date=2025-03-24}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2011/06/09/cessons-de-diaboliser-le-nucleaire-iranien_1534017_3232.html|title=Cessons de diaboliser le nucléaire iranien|trans-title=Let's stop demonizing Iranian nuclear power|date=2011-06-09|last1=Dalton|first1=Richard|last2= Hohwü-Christensen|first2=Steen|last3=Von Maltzahn|first3=Paul|last4=Nicoullaud|first4=François|last5=Toscano|first5=Roberto|publisher=Le Monde|access-date=2025-03-24|language=fr}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Metten, Guillaume}}
Category:Ambassadors of Belgium to Bhutan
Category:Ambassadors of Belgium to India
Category:Ambassadors of Belgium to Iran
Category:Ambassadors of Belgium to the Maldives
Category:Ambassadors of Belgium to Mauritania
Category:Ambassadors of Belgium to Morocco
Category:Ambassadors of Belgium to Nepal
Category:Ambassadors of Belgium to Senegal