Malcolm Rivera
Conducting diplomacy refers to the activity or profession of managing relations between the governments of different countries. Diplomacy is the principal substitute for the use of force or underhanded means in statecraft and is how comprehensive national power is applied to the peaceful adjustment of differences between states. It involves influencing the decisions and behaviour of foreign governments and peoples through dialogue, negotiation, and other measures short of war or violence.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Established method of influencing decisions and behavior of foreign governments | Dialogue, negotiation |
| Principal substitute for the use of force or underhanded means in statecraft | Nonviolent |
| Applied to the peaceful adjustment of differences between states | International dialogue |
| Conducted by accredited officials, such as envoys and ambassadors | Bilateral relations |
| Management of relations between governments of different countries | Foreign affairs |
| Conducted through bureaucratic institutions and processes | Foreign policy |
| Conducted through embassies and consulates | International conferences |
| Conducted by international civil servants | International cooperation |
| Conducted by military and intelligence officers | National interests |
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What You'll Learn
Bilateral relations between sovereign states
Diplomacy is the principal substitute for the use of force or underhanded means in statecraft. It is a peaceful method of influencing the decisions and behaviour of foreign governments and peoples through dialogue, negotiation, and other measures short of war or violence.
Bilateral relations refer to the establishment of permanent diplomatic relations between two sovereign states, based on mutual consent. Bilateral relations outline procedures for official representation, the protection of interests, and diplomatic privileges as defined by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Historically, diplomacy meant the conduct of official (usually bilateral) relations between sovereign states. The term diplomacy is derived from the ancient Greek "diploma", which means "folded in two". This reflected the practice of sovereigns providing a folded document to confer some official privilege, such as a permit to travel.
In modern times, bilateral relations between sovereign states are conducted by accredited officials, such as envoys and ambassadors, through dedicated foreign affairs offices. Diplomats operate through diplomatic missions, most commonly consulates and embassies, and rely on a number of support staff.
- The United States has a history of bilateral agreements with Panama, including the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty (1903) which established the United States' right to build and own the Panama Canal.
- Australia and Canada have a bilateral relationship, sharing similar governments, values, and the same titular head of state.
- India and Nepal have had a bilateral relationship since ancient times, which was formalised by the India-Nepal Treaty of Friendship in 1950 and further strengthened by a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement in 2011.
- The United States has chosen to form bilateral relations with East Asian countries, despite having longer and more multilateral relations with European countries.
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International dialogue and negotiation
Diplomacy is the principal substitute for the use of force or underhanded means in international relations. It is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations to implement policies and pursue interests. International dialogue and negotiation are the primary tools of diplomacy, conducted by accredited envoys and other political leaders.
Dialogue and negotiation are the peaceful means by which nations influence the decisions and behaviour of foreign governments and peoples. The goal of diplomacy is to affect other countries' behaviour to advance one's own national interests. Dialogue and negotiation are the primary means by which this is achieved.
Diplomacy is carried out through bureaucratic institutions and processes, such as embassies and consulates. These diplomatic missions are the venues for day-to-day diplomacy, including relationship-building activities such as cultural exchanges. Thousands of civil servants manage relations between countries, liaising with foreign governments and coordinating exchanges.
Dialogue and negotiation can take many forms, including formal negotiations, consultations, back-channel talks, summits, and conferences. Formal negotiations are formal discussions between countries intended to resolve or prevent disputes. Consultations are forward-looking conversations about shared problems, such as climate change. Back-channel talks are secret communications, often between countries in conflict. Summits and conferences are talks between heads of state or high-level government officials, often hosted by multilateral institutions such as the United Nations.
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Unofficial diplomacy
Diplomacy is the principal substitute for the use of force or underhanded means in statecraft. It is how comprehensive national power is applied to the peaceful adjustment of differences between states. It involves international dialogue and negotiation, conducted by accredited envoys and other political leaders.
Track II diplomacy is particularly useful when there are historical tensions that prohibit talks, or when diplomats lack the bureaucratic and political freedom to engage through official channels. It can also be useful when diplomats fear for their safety and the longevity of their careers as a result of engagement through official channels. For example, Track II diplomacy has been critical in supplementing the deficiencies of the US administration in its relations with North Korea, a country with which the US has no official diplomatic relations.
Track II diplomacy efforts have also been used to provide space for productive talks on topics that government officials are not ready or willing to discuss. For instance, Track II diplomacy has been employed to ease tensions between the US and Iran, and to bring both parties back to the negotiating table. Another example is the Oslo Accords of 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which began as a Track II diplomacy initiative by a Norwegian scholar.
Track II diplomacy is not a substitute for official Track I diplomacy, but rather a complement to it. It assists official actors in managing and resolving conflicts by exploring possible solutions derived from the public view, without the requirements of formal negotiation.
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International civil service
Diplomacy is the principal substitute for the use of force or underhanded means in statecraft. It is a peaceful method of influencing the decisions and behaviour of foreign governments and peoples through dialogue, negotiation, and other measures short of war or violence. Modern diplomatic practices are a product of the post-Renaissance European state system. Historically, diplomacy meant the conduct of official (usually bilateral) relations between sovereign states.
The civil service, in general, is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. Civil servants work for central and local governments and answer to the government, not a political party. The extent of civil servants of a state as part of the "civil service" varies from country to country. For example, in the United Kingdom (UK), only Crown (national government) employees are referred to as "civil servants", whereas employees of local authorities are generally referred to as "local government officers", who are considered public servants but not civil servants.
In the United States, the federal civil service was established in 1871. There are approximately 357,000 federal civil servants (as of 2023). The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act established a modern civil service in the United States, and by the 20th century, almost all Western governments had implemented similar reforms. The Northcote-Trevelyan model, also known as the Imperial Civil Service, was implemented in British India in 1858 and remained stable for a hundred years. This model was successful in removing corruption, delivering public services, and responding effectively to political change. It also had a significant international influence, with members of the Commonwealth adapting it.
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Foreign affairs
Diplomacy is the principal means by which nations, groups, or individuals conduct their foreign affairs, influencing the decisions and behaviour of foreign governments and peoples through dialogue, negotiation, and other measures short of war or violence. It is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations to implement policies and pursue interests. Foreign affairs refer to matters concerning international relations and the interests of a country in foreign countries.
Diplomacy is the chief instrument of foreign policy, which is set by political leaders, though diplomats, military and intelligence officers may advise them. Foreign policy establishes goals, prescribes strategies, and sets the broad tactics to be used in their accomplishment. It may employ secret agents, subversion, war, or other forms of violence as well as diplomacy to achieve its objectives.
Diplomacy is often conducted by accredited envoys and other political leaders. It is usually carried out in confidence, though the fact that it is in progress and its results are usually made public. It is strongly inclined towards negotiation to achieve agreements and resolve issues between states. It may involve coercive threats of economic or other punitive measures or demonstrations of the capability to impose unilateral solutions to disputes by the application of military power.
The modern diplomatic system emerged in the post-Renaissance European state system, with many traditions of modern diplomacy originating in the Italian Peninsula from the 14th century onwards. By the 20th century, diplomatic practices had been adopted throughout the world, and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations provided a framework for diplomatic procedures, methods, and conduct.
In the context of foreign affairs, diplomacy can be used to achieve a variety of goals. For example, the State Department in the United States uses diplomacy to protect America by fighting international terrorism, defending citizens and interests at home and abroad, and keeping local conflicts from becoming wider wars that may harm U.S. interests. Diplomacy can also be used to promote mutual understanding between Americans and people in other countries, advancing U.S. national interests by fostering a sense of common interests and values.
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Frequently asked questions
Conducting diplomacy involves managing relations between governments of different countries. It is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between nations to pursue their interests.
The primary tools of diplomacy are international dialogue and negotiation, conducted by accredited envoys and other political leaders.
There are several diplomatic categories and strategies employed by organisations and governments to achieve their aims. For example, consultations are forward-looking conversations between countries about shared problems, such as climate change. Another example is "ping-pong diplomacy", which was used to normalise relations between the US and China.
Foreign policy is set by political leaders and establishes goals, prescribes strategies, and sets the broad tactics to be used in their accomplishment. Diplomacy is the chief instrument of foreign policy and is the method of influencing the decisions and behaviour of foreign governments and peoples through dialogue, negotiation, and other measures short of war or violence.
Diplomacy is often conducted through diplomatic missions, most commonly consulates and embassies. Venues for diplomacy include summit meetings, international conferences, and the United Nations (UN).
