KSR Diplomacy Diary : 10. A written or spoken art?

10. A Written or Spoken Art? A key question: is Diplomacy or spoken or written art? Of course, both are important; Diplomacy works on both these two legs. 1. When in modern diplomacy first emerged in Italy in then 14th and 15th century, when princes sent envoys to other states, some of them residing in foreign courts, Italian writers of those times viewed their work primarily in terms of carrying written messages. In the absence of rapid communications, there was less reliance on the spoken word. Later, the spoken art took shape, but in the period up to World War II, again, much emphasis was placed on the negotiation of agreements, as we see from Harold Nicolson’s writings. At international conferences or at the UN, the drafting of resolutions and joint statements is a major craft skill. In small drafting groups, the best diplomats shine with their ability to find words and phrases that link or connect competing ideas, aimed at compromise. 2. In parallel, the spoken skill of advocacy and persuasion has gained salience. Diplomatic conversations are all about building trust and making connections between seemingly opposed positions, the more so in bilateral diplomacy. This involves skills of empathy, and a determination to find common ground, to draw in the other side. This is also the essence of negotiation skills, narrated in a fine short book ‘Getting to Yes’, by Fisher and Ury. Diplomacy works to incremental gains, based on patience. 3. Behind this is the large question of honesty and integrity. People remember well Sir Henry Wooten’s phrase: ‘A diplomat is an honest man sent abroad to lie’. He meant it as a play on words, a pun on the word ‘lie’, but King Henry IV whom he represented, was not amused. A diplomat should not be caught in an untruth. S/he can economize on the truth – they need not say everything they know, but if caught in a lie, their credibility is destroyed. Nicholson was asked: what if you face a question that cannot be answered truthfully. He replied: I would simply say: ‘You know I am not able to give you an honest answer’. And you need credibility both in the assignment country and in the home country.