Diplomacy is the best policy

(Ghanza Nayab, islamabad)

Diplomacy is tact and skill in dealing with people. Diplomacy is incredibly important and vital. A diplomat is the only person who can win the war by words, not weapons .The best diplomats can turn just about anything into an advantage and make their opponents see things from their point of view. In diplomacy the personal factors continue to play a key role. The good diplomat must have an observant mind, a gift of application which rejects being diverted by pleasures or frivolous amusements, a sound judgment which takes the measure of things as they are and which goes straight to the goal by the shortest and most natural paths without wandering into meaningless and endless refinements and subtleties. The diplomat must be quick, resourceful, a good listener, courteous and agreeable. Above all, the good negotiator must possess enough self-control to resist the longing to speak before he has thought out what he actually intends to say.

Diplomacy has been used since ancient times. Abraham Lincoln said: “I don’t think much of people who are not flexible.” Flexibility is a very important quality of a diplomat. A modern diplomat is discreet, practical, careful, and with a sense of responsibility. In modern diplomacy the feeling of momentum is of crucial importance. As a whole, diplomats are very good at preserving the traditions of their profession.

As we grow older, we realize that in many situations, it is a good idea to keep quiet or better still, be diplomatic and tactfully handle sensitive issues. The dividing line between being honest and being diplomatic is a thin one. We have to be careful in deciding when to be honest and when to be at our diplomatic best. Diplomacy is the art of convincing other people that you are right and they are wrong. This is usually done using several methods such as bribery, bullying and political espionage. Why do we become diplomatic when we know the obvious truth? Diplomacy is always an escapist trait, which we use to avoid hurting others and ourselves. When the wife asks the husband: "Am I looking fat?" and the husband answers honestly, "Yes, you have put on too much weight," one can well imagine the wife's reactions and the husband's plight.

If we speak about diplomacy on an international scale, the diplomacy as an ability to make and maintain relations between states and international subjects, the primary mission of a diplomat is to protect the national interests of his country. Soviet Russia and the United States used both during the Cold War, which lasted as long as it did because both sides were too chicken to use some real diplomacy and get things done we will remember that the main task of a diplomat is to win wars by words, not weapons. That’s why he has to be flexible and sometimes smooth-tongued. Thus he is working for the benefit of his country. Therefore his lies can be called “white lies”! National styles still exist and should be studied and taken into consideration in the practical diplomatic work.

However, we all have a common aim - good governance both on global and national levels. We all strive for a better world, a world without violence and poverty, a world that provides security and justice for all.
 

Ghanza Nayab
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