Part III
Everyday work of diplomats :
Their Paper Work:
1) Types of diplomatic documents (internal
and external)
2) Dissection (an analysis of DD)
Everyday work of a diplomat:
Internal Diplomatic correspondence
the types of internal diplomatic correspondence
1) Annual reports - about a development of political situation in
a country of residence, evaluations of mass-media, activity of
an embassy;
2) Political report – a detailed evaluation of the definite political
event in a county (social revolts, activity of an opposition)
3) Information letter ( In Russian, it is справка) and telegrams
(cables)– an answer for a special request from the MFA;
4) “An extract from a personal diary of a diplomat”: the records
of a diplomat about observations of public life, special
events, attitudes, moods, etc;
5) Notes of conversations: Transcripts of the conversation,
summary of a talk with the definite person, evaluation of a
person; + comments
6) Theses for conversations: a possible questions and answers,
which could be raised during the visit of a president, etc.
7) Memorandum is a comprehensive letter about specific
situation to attract the attention of the MFA
8) Aides-Mémoire (memory helper) is a letter about specific
person or problem from a diplomat to a diplomat (di-to-di)
The global criteria of qualified internal
diplomatic documents
1. Reliability – is the important criterion of any
document.
»
It implies that the document must content
only trustworthy info;
»
any doubts must be specified;
» its clearness depends on the used facts;
There is the system of ties between the facts and
argumentation to gain the main purpose of
document is to convince the government.
2) Purposefulness -any document has its aim in terms
of consequences.
3) Persuasiveness – there is no space for ambiguity.
the content like white and black without any other
spectrum of colors.
4) Timeliness - the specifics of the diplomatic
documents is to be in time, because if it is outdated,
it will not use by the “…guys in the MFA…”
5) Simplicity -without complex grammar in the case
when the immediate reaction for the activity is
requested.
6) Briefness – is to be brief but comprehend.
It is possible to achieve if the document is elaborated
profoundly.
7
To turn to the future – to compromise the
reality with perspectives of the development
of the situation.
To emphasize the definite aspects to build the
future relations.
The document must provide the diplomat or
head with assurance, stable policy and logic
of proposed acts.
The Russian criteria of qualified internal
diplomatic documents
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Actuality – the report must meet with actual and future
problems
Objectivity – the report made of using several source
of information leads to the objective character of it
Completeness – the report should not provoke the
additional questions from the MFA
Newness - the report must introduce new facts, new
political nuances, and new reactions from the public
opinion
Secrecy >>
Everyday work of a diplomat
Diplomatic telegrams: reading and understanding
• Telegrams are called – “Cable”, This is a title of the
documents used by many countries
• Telegrams are drafted concisely. This is achieved by
writing so called telegraphese style of lexical and
grammatical specific features. Some words are omitted
like verbs, articles and prepositions. Special
abbreviations are used instead of words.
Diplomatic telegrams: reading and
understanding
- cables style is lexical and grammatical
specific features.
- special abbreviations are used instead of
words. >>
Your task is to “translate” several phrases
from cables:
The keys to Task 1
1) Your telex of May 21 with reference to Russian
position in Iran question is received
2) Cable as soon as possible about the estimated
time of arrival of Primakov in Iraq
3) Referring to your message # 57
4) American embassy post # 450: Offer of future
meeting (appointment with somebody <Putin>)
sent on the 31 of December is waiting of the
decision of the Russian president Putin
II. Conversations (дипломатические
беседы)
– Aim –
• To get new information
• To give explanation of a position
– Means to be engaged in a talk –
• To invite a guest to an embassy
• To get an invitation
– Mode of success: appropriate preparation
• Thinking over the tactual transferring of information
• Elaboration of questions
• Accumulation of necessary information
Conversations: types
1) Conversation on the assignment: to
resolve a problem with a government and
to get new information (oppositional
groups)
2) Conversation on the invitation of a
government in a country of accreditation
3) Unexpected conversation
Conversations: Minutes, protocols (notes of
conversations) in
• Diplomats’ diary
• Documents, known as the Minutes of
conversation:
– Free form of a documents, however
– Introductory phrases: «I have visited (smb.) and got
with him (her) a talk according to the assignment» «В
соответствии с поручением посетил (ук. Лица) и
имел с ним беседу.»
– «I have said the following» «Сказал следующее»
– a list of all participants
– Accuracy of a transferred information
– Problem with secrecy – Wikileaks -cannot happen in
such country as Russia: a denial of PC in diplomatic
Dissection of diplomatic
documents
INFORMAL MEETING OF THE NATO-RUSSIA COUNCIL AT THE LEVEL OF
FOREIGN MINISTERS NATO HEADQUARTERS, BRUSSELS FRIDAY, 2 APRIL
2004
STATEMENT (1)
683-03-04-2004
On 2 April 2004, Foreign Ministers of the NATO-Russia (2) Council (NRC) met in Brussels
for the first time in an enlarged format "at 27".
Ministers welcomed (5) the participation of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania,
Slovenia and Slovakia. (3)
They reiterated the adherence of all NRC member states to the goals, principles and
commitments contained in the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Co-operation and
Security, and in the Rome Declaration (6), as well as in past decisions taken in the NRC
framework.
Ministers reaffirmed the 4 June 2003 Statement agreed by NRC Foreign Ministers in Madrid
(6), and they recalled NATO's position on providing political assurances of restraint.
They also reaffirmed adherence to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (6)
(CFE) as a cornerstone of European security, and those NRC members who are States
Parties to the Treaty reaffirmed their determination to fulfill the commitments reflected
in the Final Act of the 1999 Conference of the States Parties to the CFE Treaty.
Calling upon all CFE States Parties to promote achievement of this shared goal, the NRC
agreed to continue to work co-operatively toward ratification by all the States Parties and
entry into force of the Agreement on Adaptation of the CFE Treaty (4), which would
permit accession by non-CFE states.
Ministers welcomed the approach of the four non-CFE member states of the NRC, who have
stated their intention to request accession (5)to the adapted CFE Treaty (3) upon its entry
into force, and agreed that their accession would provide an important additional
contribution to European stability and security.
10 steps of dissection
0) contextualization:
It is a reconstruction of relevant events happened around the
documents:
when, who, why
The document: “Statement by Russian Minister of FA about informal
meeting of the NATO-Russia Council…., 2 April 2004:
-text
-accumulation all possible information from the Web, Mass media
concerned the event
-what has happened before?
On the 1 of April Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania,
Slovenia and Slovakia became the members of EU and NATO >>
strong concerns of Russia, because four of them had not adapted
before the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe.
10 steps of dissection: contextualization
-why the document was issued?
It was the result of the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the NATORussia Council on the next day in Brussels.
dissection: the form of document
1) The form is the type of diplomatic document (treaty,
conventions, agreements):

Why was this form selected by a diplomats?
– The form is the Statement is to emphasize the concerns of
Russia, to clear the existing problem.
dissection: the actors of the document
2) Actors – those who participated in the event (in its final
stage) and signed the document.
In the Statement:
“.. Foreign Ministers of the NATO, Russia…”
dissection: the paternity
3) Paternity is the authorship of the main articles or clause in the
document:
We must attribute each clause to the participating sides >>
– Which clauses are country A’s and which are country B's?
– Which clauses are against country A and which are against
country B?
– Help from Mass-Media (Briefings)
The document:
NATO’s “pressure”:
“..Ministers welcomed the participation of Bulgaria, Estonia,
Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia…”
Russia's “pressure”:
“Ministers welcomed the approach of the four non-CFE
member states of the NRC, who have stated their intention
to request accession to the adapted CFE Treaty…”
dissection: the balance of interest
4) Balance of interest is a rough estimation of which of
countries got the better deal:

From the group of clauses tagged "A" or "B" for each party it will
be possible to examine:
 which interests of each country are covered
 Which states got more for their national security
The Document:
Russia was compelled to recognize the fact of NATO enlargement
and, however, gained that “… NATO-Russia Council agreed
to continue to work co-operatively toward ratification by
all the States Parties and entry into force of the Agreement
on Adaptation of the CFE Treaty….”
dissection: Trade-Offs
5) Trade-offs (swap) is the examination to what extent
one country will have concede more rights to the other in
one area of the agreement in order to gain more
positions in another sector which is more important in the
national interest;

Can be found in the document or more often in media like
press-conferences of participants.
The document:
Russia welcomed the participation of new member in NATO,
but in exchange Russia has got assurance that new
members will adopt the treaty and additional
responsibilities.
dissection: Supporting disciplines
6) Supporting disciplines – are there references or
links to previous agreements or international
acts in the document?

aim is to examine the particular country's claims
presented with the support of international law and
previous agreements;
 “respectable” documents have the links to the
previous documents
The document:
There is the indication without link to the full text and
without additional information:
“…Rome Declaration….the 4 June 2003 Statement in
Madrid….Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in
Europe…” symbolize the hasty and emergent environment
of preparation the document.
dissection: Media Coverage
7) Media Coverage is the deep analysis of

Interviews, press-conferences, statements of the
participants
 General coverage of the event in newspapers of
each respective countries >>
 Additional information for the “balance of interests”,
“contextualization” and others.
Document:
Interviews with Lavrov:
– Russia needs guarantees that nuclear
weapons….will not be deployed there and that no
large troop contingents…. will be stationed there on
a permanent basis…that the Baltic states will reaffirm
about their adaptation of the Treaty …These
circumstances create necessary conditions for
continuing the work of the RNC in a normal
constructive spirit….
The importance of mass-media analysis: the true
concerns
1) press-conference of Lavrov about the Brussels meeting:
“…We expressed our serious concern to the partners over the fact that
the present NATO enlargement has occurred out of the Treaty
context, since four of the entrant countries are not parties to it;
…we need guarantees in the first place that the four nonparties to the
Treaty who have entered into NATO will join it as soon as this
becomes possible…;
…Question: Did you receive guarantees from the four countries which
are not parties to the CFE Treaty regarding their subsequent
accession to the treaty?
Answer: I did not say that we had received guarantees regarding the
accession of the four countries to the CFE Treaty. (back)
The meaning of mass-media-analysis
The statement of NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer after
meeting with Putin, April 8, 2004 in Moscow:
“…I can understand the Russian reaction to the expansion of NATO,
and why ordinary citizens ask what this will lead to. I can understand
this. I want to stress that a great deal of work lies before us in public
diplomacy, to assure everyone that neither old or new NATO
members have any intention to station significant numbers of troops
on their territories….” (back)
The meaning of mass-media-analysis (the trade-offs,
balance of interests)
Lavrov told on the press-conference about the Brussels
meeting:
“…The Adaptation of the CFE Treaty is a binding document. Russia
assumed obligations regarding the withdrawal of our military
equipment from Moldova and concerning negotiation with Georgia
on the questions of the procedure and timeframe for the withdrawal
of the military bases from there…”
The meaning of mass-media-analysis (diplomatic trail)
Lavrov told on the press-conference about the Brussels
meeting:
“…never favored NATO's expansion. As before, our attitude towards
the expansion is negative. But we are not making a tragedy of this.
We take the NATO expansion as a given, because at this moment
the philosophy of NATO so far has not changed. But we did not
welcome a single wave of enlargement.. (back)
dissection: Diplomatic Trail
8) Diplomatic trail is the reconstruction of the original
motivations and factors influenced on the creation of the
document and the causes.

It is possible to do if you have access to the drafting-process or
look for additional information from Mass-media.
Document:
Russia was the initiator of the document to demonstrate the
concerns and to make the NATO to recognize her concerns.
Russia of course officially welcomed the new members but it could
happen and without Russia’ recognition.
dissection: Diplomatic Lever
9) Diplomatic lever is an evaluation of the pressure to get
the diplomatic process started
 It is possible to conclude if you have access to the
diplomatic information;
 Or through mass-media
Document:
Russia started the process of talks through mass-media diplomacy
and gained the meeting.
Russia demanded the Joint communiqué or even convention but
failed.
dissection: Partners, allies, opponents?
10) Is it possible to conclude that the sides become more
closer to each other?



Joint press-conferences or unilateral activity
Form of document
Balance of interests and ets
Document:
Unilateral activities
It is clear that NATO and Russia try to tolerate each other