Julian F. Walker
British Arabist and diplomat (1929–2018) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sir Julian Fortay Walker CMG MBE (Arabic: جوليان فورت ووكر, romanized: Jūlīan Fūrti Wukar;7 May 1929 – 7 July 2018), also known by his initials J. F. Walker,[1] was a British Arabist, author, cartographer, land surveyor, former military officer and a retired diplomat who worked closely with Sheikh Rashid while serving as the last British representative to the Trucial States in Dubai for 11-months during the formation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971.[2][3] He played an instrumental role in demarcating the present boundaries of the country's emirates as well as its borders with Oman during his capacity as an assistant political officer in the Trucial States and colonial Bahrain between the 1950s and 1960s.[4][5]
Sir Julian Fortay Walker | |
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British ambassador to Qatar | |
In office 1984–1987 | |
Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
Succeeded by | Patrick Nixon |
Preceded by | Stephen Day |
British ambassador to North Yemen | |
In office 1979–1984 | |
Prime Minister | Margaret Thatcher |
Preceded by | Benjamin Strachan |
Succeeded by | David Tatham |
Director of Middle East Centre for Arab Studies | |
In office 1977–1978 | |
Succeeded by | Position abolished |
Political Adviser for the British Military Government in West Berlin | |
In office 1973–1976 | |
Consul-General of the United Kingdom to the United Arab Emirates | |
In office 2 December 1971 – 8 July 1972 | |
Prime Minister | Edward Heath |
Preceded by | Office established; Himself as the British Political Agent in Dubai |
Succeeded by | Albert Edward Saunders |
Political Agent of the United Kingdom to the Trucial States in Dubai | |
In office 27 January 1971 – 2 December 1971 | |
Prime Minister | Edward Heath |
Preceded by | Julian Bullard |
Succeeded by | Office abolished; Himself as the British Consul-General in Dubai |
Personal details | |
Born | 7 May 1929 London, England |
Died | 7 July 2018 (aged 89) London, England |
Resting place | Weybridge Cemetery |
Relations | Kenneth Macfarlane Walker (father) Eileen Marjorie Wilson (mother) |
Alma mater | School of Oriental and African Studies Middle East Centre for Arab Studies |
Occupation |
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Nickname | Boundary Walker |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Branch/service | British Army |
Years of service | 1947–1949 |
In his diplomatic career spanning almost 40 years, he served in various positions at places like Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Morocco, West Berlin, Northern Ireland, Lebanon and Norway.[6][7] He was also appointed as Britain's ambassador to North Yemen from 1979 to 1984 and then Qatar between 1984 and 1987.[8][9][10][11] He was the son of British urologist and philosopher Kenneth Macfarlane Walker.