Diplomatic Etiquette and protocol

Commencement of the Diplomatic operation in the capacity of an Ambassador.
Setting up of the diplomatic relations is the subject of negotiations. They are set up on the basis of the mutual consent. The key issue is the scale of the diplomatic relations. The initial stage is the exchange of the diplomatic missions which can be of any capacity. When the relations are not intensive enough the diplomatic obligations can be performed by the Consular Agencies.

The optimum scale of the diplomatic relations are the missions headed by the ambassadors which is the obvious sign of the full format relations. As it was mentioned before all the diplomatic ceremonies are governed by the Protocol and Etiquette that provide for some obligatory procedures. One of the key ones is getting the Agreement for the contender to be an ambassador. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs forwards the application for the agreement to be received in due course. The application contains the background and description of the professional career of the nominated diplomat. The information on the candidate is carefully looked into as the person and personality tells a lot on the policy of the sending state. There is no time limit set for the approval of this or that person.

When the Agreement is granted the top ranking diplomat he can start for the point of destination – the receiving country where he is supposed to head the diplomatic mission. There is no other way to get to the country in that capacity unless the consent (Agreement) is given by the receiving country (See the Vienna Convention of 1961).

The traveling details of the prospective Ambassador are forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the Accredited State. At the Airport the Ambassador is met by the senior diplomats of the Embassy and a senior official of the MFA who will be the permanent contact of the Ambassador.

On arrival in the Capital of the Country the representative of the MFA discusses the details of the “handing in” procedure of the Letters of Credence. He also familiarizes with the details of the Diplomatic Protocol accepted in the Country. The Protocol though being universal and uniformed varies from country to country. In any way it should comply with all the requirements of the International standards and local traditions. This meeting should end up with the fixed date of the procedure.

When it comes the nominee and senior diplomats start for the place of the Ceremony. Sometimes the prospective Ambassador brings over the “recalling letters” of his predecessor. The person who accepts the “Letters of Credence” is the top ranking official authorized to give the authority to the diplomat. There can be a line of some other diplomats involved in the same ceremony. So the “handing-in procedure” can be done in a chain. Each Ambassador has a brief conversation and a photo as the memo of the event.

This moment is very important for the diplomats. If he produces the right impression he can turn this first meeting into regular ones. If he does not he can expect the other one only when the expiry date of his obligations comes out.

When the ceremony is over the Ambassador gets to the point of being full capacity Ambassador and the Head of the Mission.
What is his ensuing step – he mails out the note to let the Dean of the Diplomatic Corp and all the other ambassadors the fact of going through the ceremony of “handing over” of his Letters of Credence.

What sort of information is conveyed in the text of the Letters of Credence? – It can be the coverage of his or hers background and obviously the reconfirmation that the diplomat is to develop and scale up the friendly relations between the countries and will definitely come up with the correct and objective information.