Whenever the history of world diplomacy will be discussed, name of our longest serving foreign minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal will always be mentioned with huge respect. He served the country as the foreign minister for over four decades and passed away at the age of 75. During his tenure as the foreign minister, he earned global respect and a reputation as a fair and rational leader.
I sometimes feel that the job of a diplomat is very difficult and when it come to the post of Saudi Arabia’s chief diplomat, a country of huge regional and global importance the task becomes even tougher.
Managing domestic affairs are challenging enough for those in the government. When one adds in the complexity of dealing with other countries and their aspirations, fears and prejudices in relation to our own, the challenge becomes almost unimaginable. Those who succeed in the diplomatic field have a specialized education and even more importantly, a rare talent for negotiating in the most difficult of circumstances.
A modern nation exists independently but within a web of influences. Both autonomy and cooperation are vital. But that is not all, as the matrix of power relationships within the world is constantly shifting and changing. One must find one’s place within such a complex global social structure, while avoiding tensions. A firm stand must be taken, but not a rigid one — there are dozens of fine lines within the realm of international diplomacy that must be crossed with the utmost grace and caution.
One thing that I know is that Prince Saud Al-Faisal did that job remarkably well within the most challenging of circumstances. He helped brought us increased independence from foreign powers. He had waded into the often fraught conditions within the Middle East, negotiating with Hamas, and with Iran. It is in part because of our position within foreign affairs that we have the prosperity and stability that we do. Rationality and trustworthiness are worth a great deal within the international community. If we are not trusted by others based on what we do and what we say, our position in the international community and consequently our prosperity and stability at home could suffer.
Prince Saud Al-Faisal’s successor Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir has got our full trust and is doing a remarkable job.
The skills of a diplomat are so distinct from any other that a form of the word has become a common adjective in English — diplomatic. A person is diplomatic if, above all, he/she is a skilled communicator. He puts others at ease and avoids conflicts while arguing for his own ends. He has an excellent relationship with others, but never at his own expense.
