Recent years have witnessed diplomacy as a tool of executing foreign policy moving towards its softer side. This trend is likely to make uninterrupted headway in the years ahead. Reasons are not far beyond to find and they are explicit as well.

Professed respect for human rights and democratic values alongside the increasing world opinion to see interstate relations carried on in a transparent way are at the root of this new development.

The quick information coming through the cyberspace is growing as an indispensable component to make diplomatic activity more effective.

Given a deeper insight into the current global ambience, the gunboat diplomacy backed by the use or threat of military force is already on the wane as far as the interstate relations between democracies are concerned.

Additionally, hard power seen as economic power and military technologies too are getting sidelined. The use and threat to use the measures such as trade embargo and economic sanctions against the intransigent states, however, are much in practice today. Distinctly, however, the offer of sops is also used to make the rigidity of recalcitrant states pliable to the liking of modern states. Pacificist aspect of the diplomatic practice is on the rise now, although the outworn attitude of big powers to make weaker states cringe is yet to vanish.

To make diplomatic practice more suited to the situation prevalent now, the contributions of eminent experts of international affairs need to be examined. George Kennan, a proponent of the theory of containment against the expansion of the Stalinist Communism, highlighted, in a speech at the US Council on World Affairs in 1997, the innate supremacy of the policy of humility as a piece of good advice to the US government to make the world situation more congenial for peace and amicable international environment instead of flaunting arrogance as the lone superpower.

Similarly, Dr Joseph Nye, a Harvard expert on international affairs, has explained soft power of the state in an excellent way and pleaded to responsible governments to make a conducive atmosphere to reach out to the people of the world at large. He means the soft power of ideal programme, culture, personal liberty, and societal value of democratic life as points of attraction would serve the purpose significantly, if employed as tools of diplomatic behaviour. The current horrific events in Iraq and elsewhere are, though, urging big powers to pay attention to what the renowned opinion creators have called for.

During the past decade, the theatre of diplomatic operation, its tools and practitioners have changed fundamentally to meet the growing public demands who dislike seeing strong walls built for the conduct of diplomacy.

It is being denationalised speedily, under the imposing impression of internet bloggers, print and electronic media and the activities of non-state actors. This has nudged practitioners of diplomacy to get well-equipped with well-founded information and become more responsive to the public and non-official organisations.

There is no great wonder when former US Secretary of State Colin Powell observed, “Diplomacy is a craft more than it is either a science or an art.” This indicates a diplomat needs to develop his diplomatic craftsmanship as a skill that enables him to better mould relationships among states under the given state of relationship using materials available at his disposal. A good craftsman could effect changes for the better as desired by the government that has assigned him as national representative abroad.

In the last one and a half years, many Nepali diplomatic missions remained without ambassadors. However, most recently, a massive number of 21 ambassadors have been appointed to various capitals, some of them politically and strategically important. People think they are supposed to own all required diplomatic knowledge and skills including the much needed diplomatic craftsmanship to steer embassies and build better relationships between Nepal and countries of their assignment.

A politically transformed Nepal demands the useful services of good diplomats gifted with specific diplomatic talents to make Nepali society moving democratically as wished by the democracies of the world. The urgency for help and understanding especially by democracies to stave off the current political confusion and uncertainty transcends all other

priorities at this moment of the Sturm und Drang in Nepal. Undoubtedly, they are required to possess a creative mind to present before the world points of attraction towards Nepal that has been hard pressed under the political imbroglio. Can they stay firmly determined to achieve for the country as they have received favours and facilities from the interim government?

Shrestha is ex-foreign ministry official