WHAT IS DIPLOMACY ? part 1

Diplomacy is . . .

The application of intelligence and tact to the conduct of official relations between governments.” Ernest Satow
The art of saying ‘Nice doggie’ till you can find a rock.” Wynn Catlin


The art of relating states to each other by agreement rather than by the exercise of force.”Henry A. Kissinger.
The continuation of war by other means.” Zhou Enlai
The management of the relations between independent states by the process of negotiation.”
Harold Nicolson
The police in grand costume.”Napoleon
Diplomacy in a sense is the opposite of writing. You have to disperse yourself so much..
Carlos Fuentes

Open diplomacy vs. Secret diplomacy

Open diplomacy is the opposite of secret diplomacy, which consisted in the underhand negotiation of treaties whose very existence is kept from the world. It consisted most treaties in Europe preceding World War 1.

A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with one or more other states or international organizations. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, initiation and Facilitation of strategic agreements, treaties and conventions, as well as the promotion of information, trade & commerce, technology and friendly relations. Seasoned Diplomats of International repute are coveted in international organizations (eg.UN) as well as multi-national companies for their experience in management and negotiating skills. Diplomats are members of foreign services and diplomatic corps of various nations of the world.

Diplomats are the oldest form of any of the foreign policy institutions of the state, predating by centuries foreign ministers and ministerial offices. They usually have diplomatic immunity.

Career diplomats and Political appointees

Though any person can be appointed by a state's national Government to conduct said state's relations with other state(s) or international organization(s), a number of states maintain an institutionalized group of career diplomats—that is, public servants with a steady professional connection to the country's foreign ministry. The term "career diplomat" is used world-widely in opposition to political appointees (that is, people from any other professional backgrounds who may equally be designated by an official government to act as a diplomat abroad). While officially posted to an embassy or delegation in a foreign country or accredited to an international organization, both career diplomats and political appointees enjoy the same diplomatic immunities.

Diplomatic ranks

Regardless of being a career diplomat or a political appointee, every diplomat, while posted abroad, will be classified in one of the ranks of diplomats (Secretary, Counselor, Minister, Ambassador, Envoys, or chargé d'affaires) , as regulated by international law (namely, by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961).

Diplomats can be contrasted with consuls and attachés, who represent their state in a number of administrative ways, but who don't have the diplomat’s political functions.

References
1. Chas W. Freeman, Jr., The Diplomat's Dictionary; Second Edition, The United States Institute of Peace, May 1, 2010. http://www.usip.org

2. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia…. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomat