Diplomacy is the patriotic art of lying for one’s country.

Dear friends!

Today I’m going to throw light on the issue of diplomacy as the patriotic art of lying for one’s country.

Abraham Lincoln once said that he did not think much of people, who hold one point of view forever. I agree with him. This doesn’t refer to diplomacy only, it also deals with more general issues. People should be flexible and consider the changing conditions. Of course we should be sincere with our close friends and relatives, because friendship and family relationship should be based on truthfulness and confidence.

However, if we speak about diplomacy on an international scale, the diplomacy as an ability to make and maintain relations between states and international subjects, we will remember that the main task of a diplomat is to win wars by words, not weapons. That’s why he has to be flexible and sometimes smooth-tongued. Thus he is working for the benefit of his country. Therefore his lies can be called “white lies”!

For example, if a neighboring state observes some problems in the domestic policy of a certain diplomat’s country, it might be thinking about invading some part of this country. In such a situation, our diplomat will have to improve the relations between the two states by negotiation. It’s obvious that it’s impossible to manage this business without a great deal of flexibility.

Under these circumstances, the ability of a diplomat to solve urgent problems for the benefit of his country by flattery and some other arts and wiles is very helpful. So, we can see now, that diplomacy really IS the patriotic art of lying for one’s country.

I’d like to finish my presentation leaving you with yet another statement to think about: If a diplomat says «yes», he means «perhaps»; if he says «perhaps», he means «no», if he says «no», he is not a diplomat. (Sheverdina Irina, Faculty of World Politics)

In archaeology you uncover the unknown.
In diplomacy you cover the known.

Diplomacy is said to be the game of international intrigue. Statesmen and leaders of different countries with large and small population are competitors in this game, and in this eternal competition the fortunes of nations depend on a small group of people, who represent their countries' interests in the international arena.

It is common knowledge that internal policy of a country does not always agree with its foreign policy, and if the country is weak, only diplomats could prevent a war, by hiding the problems of their country, so to say, “keeping them under the carpet”. On the other hand, diplomats can cleverly conceal their country’s intention to start a war. Or they might try to find an excuse in the eyes of other countries' leaders, if the war is inevitable.

Therefore it is true, that wars are won by words, not weapons. History knows many examples of the brilliant work of diplomats. For instance, general Kutuzov used this knowledge to win the war against Napoleon, Adolph Hitler was hiding his evil intent to start a war against the Soviet Union; and the United States of America is still trying to convince the international community that Iraq occupation is a good idea.

However, a diplomat’s job does not consist only of sinking unpleasant truths. There are also lots of positive things that a powerful, sensible, ingenious, smart and, of course, talented diplomat can do. (Ilya Mironov, Faculty of World Politics)