Hubert de Bèsche

Hubert Wathier August de Bèsche (7 July 1911 – 11 March 1997) was a Swedish civil servant and diplomat. He served as the Ambassador of Sweden to the United States from 1964 to 1973 and to Denmark 1973 to 1977.

Early life de Bèsche was born on 7 July 1911 in Frösö, Jämtland County, Sweden, the son of Lieutenant Colonel Hubert de Bèsche and his wife Ebba Fröberg. He passed studentexamen in Stockholm in 1929 and received a Candidate of Law degree in 1935.

Career de Bèsche became and attaché at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm in 1936. He served in London in 1937, at the Foreign Ministry in 1940, as second secretary in 1941, and as first secretary in 1944.

ee Bèsche was the secretary of the Swedish-British-American Government Commission from 1943 to 1945, participated in trade negotiations with England and the United States from 1943 to 1946, and in negotiations with the European Coal Organization in 1946. He was part of the delegation at the Annecy Round in 1949 and the International Materials Conference in Washington, D.C. from 1951 to 1953. He was the chairman of trade negotiations with Finland in 1954, Spain from 1954 to 1955, and the United Kingdom from 1954 to 1955. He also took part in the International Wheat Agreement in 1955, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) from 1955 to 1957, and was a member of the trade board of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC) from 1956 to 1960. He served as vice chairman of the delegation for free trade area negotiations from 1956 to 1958, chairman of negotiations at the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in 1959, and participated in European integration negotiations from 1960 to 1961.

de Bèsche was a foil and sabre fencer. He competed in three events at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

Death de Bèsche died on 11 March 1997 in Stockholm. The funeral took place on 9 April 1997, at in Djurgården, Stockholm. He was interred in his wife grave at in , Flen Municipality, Södermanland County.

Awards and decorations

British Commemorative Medal

Honours Honorary Doctorate of Law, Upsala College, USA (1968)