Sanga for Ambassador What

Makes a Diplomat?

by Dr. Ruwantissa Abeyratne

We cant all play a winning game
someone is sure to lose
yet we can play so that our name
no one may dare accuse
That when the master referee
scores against our name
it wont be whether we won or lost
but how we played the game ~ Anon

( August 25, 2015, Montreal, Sri Lanka Guardian) It

has been reported that President Sirisena has offered the much celebrated Kumar
Sangakkara the post of High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in the United Kingdom. At
the time of writing, there was no indication that Mr. Sangakkara had accepted the
offer. The writer hopes he does, not merely for the reasons that this cricketer who
brought Sri Lanka much pride and dignity is both articulate and educated (qualities
that are essential for a diplomat), but also because he has the reputation of bringing to
bear the best of our country with his sincerity, integrity and empathy both on and off
the field.
Much has been said about Mr. Sangakkaras qualifications (which need not be
repeated) where others have claimed that he is a distinguished son of Lanka and an
eminently qualified ambassador at large for the country. Much has also been said
about some disingenuous buffoons whose feckless insouciance and self-serving
ambitions as ambassadors of Sri Lanka (mostly non-career diplomats) overseas have
done the country a great disservice. This could therefore be an opportune moment to
reflect on diplomacy in the modern context and the nature and functions of a diplomat
representing his/her country.

An ambassador of a country is sent to another country to represent the

people of the ambassadors country their interests; their values, and
to exchange what the two nations involved have to offer while
upholding the rule of law and national interests. This overarching
objective can take various forms: from the promotion of trade to
discussions on aid; from liberalization of border controls and
immigration to building bridges in times of discord. For all these the
Ambassador has to command the host nations respect. He or she
should be a good negotiator.
The origins of diplomacy date back to the period of darkness preceding
the dawn of history. It is claimed that anthropoid apes living in caves
practised a form of diplomacy in reaching understandings with their
neighbours on territorial boundaries pertaining to their own hunting
grounds. The compelling need to ensure the preservation of life of an
emissary, on the ground that no negotiation could take place if
emissaries, however hostile, were murdered on arrival, gave rise to the
practice of diplomatic immunity, which is attributed to Australian
aborigines, and is mentioned in the Institutes of Manu and in Homeric
poems. In the modern world, the institution of the permanent
diplomatic mission is the cornerstone of international diplomacy and
comity and the diplomat carries out the function of diplomacy which is
generally termed diplomatic practice. It is extremely important that
nations appreciate diplomatic practice and its significance in their
entirety, especially relating to the privileges and immunities of a
diplomat if diplomacy is to be effective. The overall aim and objective
of diplomacy is to ensure that peace and justice prevails throughout the
world and to this end, the institution of diplomacy is a preeminent
example of the growth of modern civilization.
Diplomacy is a harmonious blend of international politics, international law and
international relations all rolled into one cocktail of practicality. The quintessential
diplomat purveys his countrys foreign policy. Former US Secretary of State Henry
Kissinger once said: No foreign policy no matter how ingenious has any chance of
success if it is born in the minds of a few and carried in the hearts of none. The
pursuit of national interest is the preeminent focus of the true diplomat, where the key
consideration is to safeguard and promote the national interests of the State, by
building and maintaining harmonious and beneficial relations with other States.
Again, it was Kissinger who said: The Vietnam War required us to emphasize the
national interest rather than abstract principles. What President Nixon and I tried to do
was unnatural. And that is why we didnt make it. SI Tejaswi says: Diplomacy has
been known since ancient times in India. In his famous work Arthashastra, Kautilya
prescribed elaborate rules for the conduct of diplomatic envoys. His four fold formula
still remains unmatched: conciliation, concession, rupture and force. In his detailed
discussion of diplomacy, he gave the following details of what a diplomats general

duties should be: transmission of the views of his government; maintenance of

treaties; upholding of the claims of his government, if necessary by threat; gaining of
friends; sowing dissensions wherever necessary; creating secret organisations;
gathering information about the actions and movements of spies; nullifying treaties
unfavourable to ones country and winning over the government officers of the country
to which one is accredited.
Heres my take.
An ambassador of a country is sent to another country to represent the people of the
ambassadors country their interests; their values, and to exchange what the two
nations involved have to offer while upholding the rule of law and national interests.
This overarching objective can take various forms: from the promotion of trade to
discussions on aid; from liberalization of border controls and immigration to building
bridges in times of discord. For all these the Ambassador has to command the host
nations respect. He or she should be a good negotiator. Negotiation is the process
whereby interested parties resolve disputes, agree upon courses of action, bargain for
individual or collective advantage, and/or attempt to craft outcomes which serve their
mutual interests. It is usually regarded as a form of alternative dispute resolution.
The term negotiation implies interaction between at least two parties who share a
common need which they do not share with others. At the outset, therefore, parties to
a negotiation must identify that common need. Negotiation is necessary because the
parties disagree on a key issue, since if they agree; there is no need for negotiation. A
typical negotiation is a process through which the parties build on common interests
and reduce differences that they might have. A successful negotiation is achieved
when those differences are settled to the satisfaction of both parties. Therefore, if one
party wields sufficient power over the other and imposes all of its conditions, there
would be no negotiation. The term negotiation must be distinguished from
bargaining as the former refers to transactions which are complex, dignified and take
more time. Dr. Dennis A. Hawver summed it up well when he said: we bargain for a
carpet, but negotiate a long term loan from the bank. A bargaining strategy is usually
used by one party who has the balance of power stacked in his favor.
Skilled negotiators are those who approach their negotiation by demonstrating a
cooperative attitude from the beginning of the negotiations. This spirit of cooperation
must be demonstrated both by words and actions to bring out an initial affability of the
other party. One way of ensuring this environment is to start with issues which lend
themselves easier and better to problem solving. The more difficult problems should
be kept for later. More importantly, it is advisable to build firmly on the foundation of
common ground before moving on to address differences. Common ground is
established for instance, by reminding the other party that both parties must not forget
what brought them to the table in the first place. There is also the possibility that a
skilled negotiator will face an inexperienced negotiator who is unable to decipher the
difference between bargaining and joint problem solving. In this case, it will not be
imprudent for the skilled negotiator to gently educate the inexperienced one and
place the negotiations on the right track. Leading by example is another way in which

a skilled negotiator can guide others at a negotiation. For instance, by listening

attentively and speaking only when necessary, the skilled negotiator can show the
others the virtues of listening. Complimentary words are positive tools for successful
negotiation, provided they complement conduct rather than personalities. An example
is we are glad you are willing to review the issue rather than you are indeed wise to
review the issue or simply, you are wise.
Kumar Sangakkara seems to have all the qualities of a good ambassador for Sri
Lanka. One could only assume, with his background of sustained teamwork, splendid
captaincy of the national cricket team and unquestionable popularity with both his
team mates and cricketers of other countries far and wide who hold him in the highest
esteem, that he is a good negotiator too.
The author is a former United Nations official
Posted by Thavam