Diplomatand Diplomacy

A diplomat is a personappointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or inteationalorganization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representationand protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well asthe promotion of information and friendly relations.

Diplomats in posts collectand report information that could affect national interests, often with adviceabout how the home country govement should respond. Then, once any policyresponse has been decided in the home country's capital, posts bear majorresponsibility for implementing it. Diplomats have the job of conveying, in themost persuasive way possible, the views of the home govement to thegovements to which they are accredited and, in doing so, to try to convincethose govements to act in ways that suit home country interests. In this way,diplomats are part of the beginning and the end of each loop in the continuousprocess through which foreign policy is made.

The home country willusually send instructions to a diplomatic post on what foreign policy goals topursue, but decisions on tactics - who needs to be influenced, what will bestpersuade them, who are potential allies and adversaries, and how it can be done- are for the diplomats overseas to make.

In this operation, theintelligence, integrity, cultural understanding and energy of individualdiplomats are critical. If they are any good at their jobs, they will havedeveloped relationships grounded in trust and mutual understanding withinfluential members of the country in which they are accredited. They will haveworked hard to understand the motives, thought pattes and culture of theother side.

The diplomat should be anexcellent negotiator but, above all, a catalyst for peace and understandingbetween peoples. The diplomat's principal role is to foster peaceful relationsbetween states. This role takes on heightened importance once war breaks out.Negotiation must necessarily continue but within significantly alteredcontexts.

Diplomacy is the art andpractice of conducting negotiations between representatives of states. Itusually refers to inteational diplomacy, the conduct of inteationalrelations. through the intercession of professional diplomats with regard toissues of peace-making, trade, war, economics, culture, environment, and humanrights. Inteational treaties are usually negotiated by diplomats prior toendorsement by national politicians. In an informal or social sense, diplomacyis the employment of tact to gain strategic advantage or to find mutuallyacceptable solutions to a common challenge, one set of tools being the phrasingof statements in a non-confrontational or polite manner.