LONDON -- An article in the June 10 Nikkei Weekly by a deputy editor of political news at the Nihon Keizai Shimbun had the headline "Foreign Ministry diplomacy failing nation on all fronts." The Foreign Ministry was criticized for not being tough enough in support of national interests. And praise was lavished on tough negotiators from other ministries.
In Britain, too, the Foreign Office has often been accused of being too friendly toward foreigners and not sufficiently robust in defending national interests. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in particular, hated the Foreign Office, which she accused of being feeble.
Such comments generally reflect a misunderstanding of the role of diplomacy. The objective should be to win support for long-term national interests rather than boost the egos of negotiators who claim that, by their machismo, toughness and rudeness, they have defended national interests to the last. In the process, they may well have offended the other side to the extent that it has been encouraged to resist even more.