Diplomat.
Also known as: Consul, Plenipotentiary, E
A
diplomat is someone who is appointed by a nation state to represent and protect
that nation's interests abroad. The four ranks of diplomats are determined by
international law, and include ambassadors,
envoys, ministers, and charge d'affaires.
In
modern diplomacy there are a number of ranks below ambassador. These ranks now
rarely show a mission's importance, but rather show the diplomat's seniority
within their own nation's diplomatic career ladder.
This
modern ranking system follows a similar, but not exactly parallel, pattern in
different countries, and is as follows:
- Ambassador (High Commissioner in Commonwealth missions); Ambassador at large
- Minister
- Minister - Counselor
- Counselor
- First Secretary
- Second Secretary
- Third Secretary
- Attache
- Assistant Attache
The activities of Diplomat.
A
diplomat forms and maintains international relations with regards to issues of
peace and war, trade and economics, culture, the environment, and human rights,
and are also the ones who negotiate treaties and international agreements
before they are officially endorsed by any politicians. A diplomat also has the
ongoing responsibility of collecting and reporting information that could
affect national interests, and is often in a good place to give advice about
how the home country should react.
He
or she should also do their utmost to represent the views of the home
government to the government of the country in which they are posted, and
convince these governments to act in ways that the home government would
prefer. In this way, diplomats are an integral part of the foreign policy
formulation process.
Modern
diplomacy is very different from what it was, and is still changing. The role
of a diplomat is therefore subject to change in the future.
The workplace of a Diplomat.
While some diplomats remain in
their home countries, the majority are posted to overseas embassies and
consulates in various places across the globe, but a diplomat's work will take
them outside of the office. Diplomats may travel to the UN Offices in Geneva or
headquarters in New York, or to the homes or offices of heads of state.
Commonly, a diplomat will only
spend a period of approximately three years in one country, but this can vary
depending on the availability of vacancies. Most diplomats will serve in at
least one developing country, where there are higher rates of disease, harsh
climates, or social unrest. Some home comforts or amenities might become very
hard to come by, and family or spouses who accompany diplomats are not often
entitled to work.
However, diplomats are often
considered members of an exclusive and prestigious occupation, and a state will
often give a lot of support to the high status, privileges and self-esteem of
its diplomats in order to maintain its own international image. Since diplomats
are very carefully selected, they are held in this high regard by members of
the community. International law grants diplomats special privileges and
immunities.
Types of Diplomatic Missions .
A country may have
several different types of diplomatic missions in another country.
- Embassy : A diplomatic mission located in the capital city of another country which generally offer a full range of services, including consular services.
- High Commission : An embassy of a Commonwealth country located in another Commonwealth country.
- Permanent Mission : A diplomatic mission to a major international organization.
- Consulate General : A diplomatic mission located in a major city, other than the capital city, which provides a full range of services, including consular services.
- Consulate : A diplomatic mission that is similar to a consulate general, but which does not provide a full range of services.
- Consulate Headed by Honorary Consul : A diplomatic mission headed by an Honorary Consul which provides only a limited range of services.
Functions of a Diplomatic Mission.
Basic functions of
a diplomatic mission include:
- Represent the home country in the host country.
- Protect the interests of the home country and its citizens in the host country.
- Negotiate with the government of the host country.
- Monitor and report on conditions and developments in the commercial, economic, cultural, and scientific life of the host country.
- Promote friendly relations between the host country and the home country.
- Develop commercial, economic, cultural, and scientific relations between the host country and the home country.
- Issue passports, travel documents, and visas.
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