Diplomatic Contacts As we know the

Diplomatic Contacts

As we know the key function of a Diplomat is to develop friendly relation between the sending state and the receiving one. How can it be achieved? – The answer is obvious which is through developing the relations with the official and non-official persons of the hosting country.

The debates are going on on the effectiveness of the traditional diplomacy with the growing number of the events and rallies under the umbrella of the Conference Diplomacy. The answer is “Yes” irrespective of the scale of the International interactions in progress. “Peoples to Peoples Diplomacy”, “Direct lines of the Leaders of States” and others are occasional with the focus on some specific issues like disarmament, vital ecological or medical problems or others.

It can not devalue the significance of the steady and regular flow of the information on the real state of things with regard to the relations with the country in hand. Without contacts the diplomacy is non-existent. Those who confine the role of the diplomats to participation in ceremonies are totally wrong. Setting up and developing contacts is the primary and final objective of a diplomat. It goes along the lines and fits with all International Conventions accepted and put into effect. Strong contacts are the vehicle and the line to set up the right track for confidence and cooperation between the countries. This is the right way to upgrade the prestige of your country if a diplomat performs well.

Diplomatic Contacts are somewhat different in essence and meaning. Diplomatic contacts do not mean neither meetings or general knowledge of the person under discussion. If a diplomat says – “We have been introduced” or “We know of each other” - it means nothing in practical terms. What is necessary to convert a contact into a “diplomatic” one. There are three fixed factors to be conscious of and to follow:

The parties of the Diplomatic Contacts should enjoy mutual confidence. They should trust each other in a big way and be sure that both parties are mutually respective and supportive of the ongoing interaction. If mistrust or disrespect comes out that will be the end of story. The history of Diplomacy is stuffed with the examples of either kind. Talking of the positive ones we should refer to Mr. Chicherin again who was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia in the early days of the Soviet State. The German ambassador Brokdorf Rantzau was a very anti-Soviet person who thought that ultimate goal of the Soviet State was to export of revolution to Germany. The relations between these two diplomats were very friendly with the open exchange of views that ended up with the steady contacts and mutual trust. In the end of the day the ambassador was very supportive of Soviet – German Friendship. This is the example of well arranged contacts in trust and mutual good will.

(Gelmut Schmidt and Valerry JIskar D’Esten) Chancellor of Germany had lots of Problems with the French President. They discussed a number of issues with no luck. Seeking for the breakthrough the German leader made a great confession in trust disclosing his greatest family secret. He told the French leader that he is jewish on the father’s side. It was a great surprise and shocking news that was accepted as the great sign of Confidence.

The second factor is mutual benefit out coming of the Diplomatic Contact. If the contact between the diplomat never goes beyond the point of the exchange of the news from the regular press or diplomat never talk their mind – this sort of contacts is useless with no prospect to develop. The Diplomatic Contact is a success when it is regular and progressing. What should be done to make it happen? Each party should interesting to the other and inspired to develop relations. When we say regular we mean the term of every 2 -3 months. The contact should be easily restored when the necessity comes out.

What are the grounds for a diplomat to be interesting to the other party? First of all he should be knowledgeable on his home country ( History, Geography, Culture, Arts, Places of Interest and etc). In other words he should be a good bridge to a different culture with the right motivation and attitude. On the other hand he should demonstrate interest in the receiving country. He should be fluent in the local language and sensitive and respective to the culture of the people he lives with. This the quotation from the book of one very experienced and successful diplomat: “Are you ready to live the life of a different people(according to their rules) to be permanently interested in the politics of some other nation not yours? If the answer is “NO” you are totally wrong person to be a diplomat”.

Top Ranking Contacts – Among all the prospective contacts the meetings with the leaders of the state are the most significant as dealing with the persons with authority is the easiest way of setting up the relations with the right format and caliber. There are possibilities to develop such relations. That depends very much on the skill of the diplomat to open up the doors of the President, Prime-Minister and other senior officials.

Meetings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are the most important ones with the involvement of the most professional agents of the embassy. The junior diplomats usually escort their senior colleagues for interpreting and recording the content of the meeting. The ambassadors and other senior diplomats are the visitors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but other diplomats of lower seniority can also be very active in dealing with some big ministerial bananas due to the fact that diplomatic contacts is the matter of personal choice related to private preferences. When it comes to the MFA in different countries they are structured in a different way. It concerns not only the names (State Department, Foreign Office, Ministry of External Affairs) but the functions as well.

Parliamentary Meetings are very important. On the handing over ceremony of the Letters of Credence ambassadors visit the speakers of the Parliament as leaders and the Institution of Top Priority. It is a common thing that senior diplomats visit the sittings of the Parliament when important hearings are in progress. Overviewing the track of the creation of the new Laws and Edicts one can foresee the tendencies of changes to come. Contacts with the opposition parties are important to have an insight from the other side of the fence and look into the life of the country as the alternative project of the development injected by the “Shadow Cabinet”.

Business Contacts is something with the growing potential and politics is getting more and more involved in big schemes and projects. As an example we can mention FIAT-LADA Project which came into being thanks to the efforts of the Soviet diplomats in Italy. Contacts with Mass Media can hardly be overestimated as Media people are also the searchers of information. Journalists are knowledgeable with their access to different sources of information. Contacts with Men of Culture and Science is getting more and more important as it is the right bridge to the Cultural exchange with their counterparts of your home country.