Ian Cliff

Ian Cliff is the son of Gerald Shaw Cliff, who was Resident Engineer Trinity House 1925–65. Cliff was educated at Hampton Grammar School and Magdalen College, Oxford where he gained a degree in Modern History. He taught History for four years at Dr Challoner's Grammar School, Amersham, before joining the Diplomatic Service in 1979. After Arabic language training at St Andrews University and in Damascus he served at Khartoum and in Middle East-related posts in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In 1989 he became 1st Secretary in the UK Mission to the United Nations in New York and in 1996 Deputy Head of Mission in the British Embassy to Austria. He was then appointed Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina 2001–05, Ambassador to the Sudan 2005–07, Head of the UK Delegation to the OSCE in Vienna (with personal rank of Ambassador) 2007–11, and Ambassador to Kosovo 2011–2015.{{cite web|url=http://ukinkosovo.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/our-embassy-in-pristina/ambassador/career-history |title=Ambassador's career history |accessdate=2014-03-18 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127220710/http://ukinkosovo.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/our-embassy-in-pristina/ambassador/career-history |archivedate=27 January 2012 }}, British Embassy Pristina, 7 October 2011{{cite web |url=http://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/arrival-of-the-new-british-ambassador-to-kosovo |title=Arrival of the new British Ambassador to Kosovo |publisher=British Embassy Pristina |date=11 April 2015}} In May 2015 he was appointed to be Chargé d'Affaires to Croatia for a year.{{cite web |url=http://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/charge-daffaires-to-croatia-appointed |title=Chargé d'Affaires to Croatia appointed |publisher=British Embassy Zagreb |date=15 May 2015}}

As Ambassador in Sarajevo he was a member of the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board and supported High Representative Lord Ashdown in building up the state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.Ashdown,P.2007 Swords and Ploughshares{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} In the Sudan he was a member of the Assessment and Evaluation Commission charged with monitoring the implementation of Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

Cliff is a railway enthusiast and a member of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society which supports the operation of the North Norfolk Railway between Sheringham and Holt. He was noted driving industrial steam locomotives in Bosnia and the Pristina to Peja passenger train in Kosovo.{{cite book |last1=Chesshyre |first1=Tom |title=Ticket to Ride |date=2016 |publisher=Summersdale |location=Chichester |isbn=978-1-84953-826-8 |page=40}}{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

He is married to Caroline Cliff, who was also a member of the Diplomatic Service until retirement in 2022, and they have three children, born 1989, 1993 and 2001.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

Cliff retired from the Diplomatic Service in 2016 but continued to work for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as Principal Research Analyst, Western Balkans until 2022. He has given evidence on the Western Balkans to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee and to the House of Lords International Relations Committee.

In 1991, while he was in New York, Ian Cliff was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).{{London Gazette |issue=52588 |date=29 June 1991 |supp=y |page=29}} He was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2017 New Year Honours.{{London Gazette|issue=61803|supp=y|page=N3|date=31 December 2016}}

• [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U11218 CLIFF, Ian Cameron], Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2013
• [http://www.gov.uk/government/people/ian-cliff Ian Cliff], gov.uk

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{{S-bef |before=Graham Hand}}

{{S-ttl |title=Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina |years=2001–2005}}

{{S-aft |after=Matthew Rycroft}}

{{S-bef |before=Sir William Patey}}

{{S-ttl |title=Ambassador to Sudan |years=2005–2007}}

{{S-aft |after=Dame Rosalind Marsden}}

{{S-bef |before=Colin Munro}}

{{S-ttl |title=Head of UK Delegation to the OSCE |years=2007–2011}}

{{S-aft |after=Dominic Schroeder}}

{{S-bef |before=Andrew Sparkes}}

{{S-ttl |title=Ambassador to Kosovo |years=2011–2015}}

{{S-aft |after=Ruairí O’Connell}}

{{S-bef |before=David Slinn}}

{{S-ttl |title=Chargé d'Affaires to Croatia |years=2015–2016}}

{{S-aft |after=Andrew Dalgleish}}

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Category:1952 births

Category:Living people

Category:People educated at Hampton School

Category:Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford

Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Sudan

Category:Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe

Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Kosovo

Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Croatia

Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George