TheJakartaPost
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Diplomacy and diplomats in a changing time
Diplomacy is like old wine in new bottles. Its essence, like old wine, remains the same, whereas the new bottles represent the ever-changing milieus.
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National flags of various states fly against the blue sky. (Shutterstock/File)
I
n mid-February, the foreign minister summoned all of Indonesia’s heads of mission overseas to Jakarta for extensive meetings with officials from the Foreign Ministry.
The meeting itself was very timely and the topics discussed, as well as the management of programs were superb. Another distinctive feature of the gathering, which was intriguing, was its theme: “Diplomasi Jaman Now” (Diplomacy in the present time).
The theme raised a fundamental question on how diplomatic conduct of today differs from that of the past. It makes one wonder if the basic credos governing diplomacy, including diplomacy as a state craft, will stand the test of time.
This article argues that diplomacy, in terms of diplomatic conduct, requires some adaptation. This, among other things, stems from an ever increase in stakeholders, actors, instruments and issues at hand. The environment where diplomacy operates has also become more complex. However, the essence of diplomacy itself remains the same.
