Diplomacy is the art and science of influencing foreign governments and people through dialogue, negotiations and other measures short of war or violence. It is the established method of handling international relations and it can be used to promote political, economic and cultural exchanges as well as resolve conflict.
Many people associate diplomacy with embassies, international relations and high politics but it’s a lot more than that. It’s an art of advancing your ideas without unnecessarily inflaming passions or unleashing a catastrophe, an understanding of the complexities that can undermine agreement and stoke anger, and a commitment to unpick these with foresight and grace.
It’s also the practice of building and maintaining solid relationships, which means getting to know your interlocutor well enough to raise difficult topics in an appropriate setting and in a way that doesn’t make them feel uncomfortable. It’s a discipline that requires an in-depth knowledge of how different cultures operate. The British are often polite and indirect; the South Africans are straight-talking, and Israel is brash and direct. Diplomats are masters at adapting their style to suit their audience.
It’s also the practice of resolving disputes and conflicts through mediation and arbitration, which often takes the form of formal commissions, tribunals and agencies – like the International Court of Justice at The Hague – or ad-hoc groups, such as the Hay-Herbert Treaty. Sometimes, it’s the informal, face-to-face approach that is most useful, especially if two countries have a history of tension or rivalry.