The Role of Diplomacy:

A Traditional Tool in
Changing Times
What
is
 - the process of conducting communication among states through
officially reorganized representatives
- a major dimension of a state’s foreign policy, with foreign
ministers and their diplomats living abroad carrying out state business.
ACTORS:

Non-state actors including:

- international organizations
- human rights groups
- multinational corporations
♦ 2 Types of Diplomacy ♦
1. Bilateral Diplomacy- between two states
2. Multilateral diplomacy- involves various number of states and
non-state actors

VALUE of Diplomacy
- settlement of specific conflicts
- diplomacy contributes to the development of international
society
 A
Brief History
of
Diplomacy
 In prehistoric times, diplomacy appeared when the cave
dwellers discovered that it was useful to hear the message of an
emissary instead of killing him.

Greeks and Romans- better known in the practices of diplomacy

Emissary- traveled regularly within the Greek city-state system

“Orator” Diplomat- the emissaries

- type of diplomats who made appealing speeches as
they pleaded the cause of one city to another city.

Romans- exchanged diplomats with the tribes and empires existing on

the periphery of the Roman empire.
Jus gentium- “law of nations”
- a legal development scholars regard as an early
contribution to international law.

The form of diplomacy today emerged from the Italian city-state

system.

Embassy- the important Italian concept of a permanent mission.

Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle- established DIPLOMACY as a distinct

branch of public service in each country of Europe.
FUNCTIONS OF DIPLOMACY

1. Representing State Interests

Important Roles of Ambassadors

- act as the spokespersons for their government and
serves as channels of communication between the countries.
- they must be interpreters.
- they must sensitize their own government’s interests
- they mat lodge a protest over the action of another
government

Diplomatic Campaigns- more spectacular than specific actions to

explain the country’s policy as a way to win the understanding
and cooperation of other countries.
☺2 Special Methods of Representing Countries’ Interests ☺
a. Summit Diplomacy- a meeting in person by heads of states to
expedite agreement and avoid misunderstanding.

Advantage:
- it can generate broad areas of agreement to break diplomatic
deadlocks that have lingered at lower levels of diplomacy.

Disadvantage:
- it can raise high expectations for success on the part of the
public and make failure more noticeable.

Rhodes Formula/Proximity discussion- an interesting variant of

summit diplomacy to place disputing parties near each other.
b. Shuttle Diplomacy
- involves negotiation that take place through the travels of a high-
ranking official serving as a mediator between the capitols of
disputing states.

Advantage:
- the use of high-level officials who can lend their prestige and
that of their states to the mediation effort.

2. Symbolic Representation
- the ambassador presents a set of credentials to the head of
state in a formal ceremony.
3. Obtaining Information
State’s Capabilities for Obtaining Information
- satellite pictures
- spies’ activities
- information from globally based news services
- reports from other governments

Modern Technology- allow states to have on hand capability for the

rapid processing and interpretation of incoming information
from embassies.

Attachés- send much information that routinely flows back to the

home state. They work in an embassy under the control of an
ambassador but represents a government department other
than the foreign ministry.
 ♥ Types of Attachés ♥
a. Military Attachés
b. Agricultural Attachés
c. Cultural Attachés
d. Immigration Attachés
e. Tourism Attachés

Diplomatic Courier- an important element of a country’s diplomatic

corps. They travel thousands of miles each year carrying
sensitive documents and transporting cargo to embassies and
consulates around the world.

4. Policymaking by Diplomats
- the diplomat is the channel of communications between the
sending and host states.
Negotiation
and
Bargaining
Negotiation
- the most important stage of the diplomatic process.
- a communication specifically to resolve conflict and avoid the use
of force.
- normally takes place in face-to-face meetings

Negotiation as an art- a fairly unique phenomenon that experienced

diplomats cannot teach to beginners.

Negotiation as a science- recognizes a rational process of

bargaining with similarities from case to case that permit
understanding in theoretical term.
Bargaining
- the means of negotiations based on two sides making offers and
counteroffers until both sides reach agreement.
- requires a give-and-take spirit of compromise