GOVT’S RESPONSE TO GONZALEZ – A LESSON IN DIPLOMACY
By Kellys Kaunda
Politicians are not the best source of objective knowledge because they are self-serving human beings.
When they are in opposition, they actively seek out foreign embassies. They share with them their grievances and encourage them to speak out.
When they speak out and reflect their grievances, they are happy.
When the same politicians form government, they come down heavily on ambassadors of foreign countries that speak publicly against them.
This I guess leaves the public wondering as to who then is telling the truth.
Thanks to social media, I have seen posts regarding how UPND reacted when PF, while in power, reacted angrily to the then US ambassador for the latter’s interference in the internal affairs of Zambia.
You could tell that UPND then was clearly getting a kick out of the development.
Now, the former opposition is in the driving seat. The same language that PF used then is the same (in terms of substance, of course) that UPND in power is now using against the outgoing ambassador.
What has changed? The truth about diplomacy hasn’t changed. It’s the politicians who have changed because they are intrinsically insincere.
Diplomatic practice is underpinned by one cardinal rule – communicate your grievances against your host nation through specially designated letters away from public view.
In other words, thou shalt not embarrass thy host in public. It’s disrespectful and a matter that could cause a recall.
Every diplomat – former and serving – knows acutely well this golden rule.
I stand by it and will defend it for the rest of my life not for the sake of it but because I believe in the principle it seeks to preserve – the equality of nations and their sovereignty.
This principle helps to protect the balance of power on the global stage while preventing the tyranny of the most powerful nations.
What I am saying in summary is that, I can understand why some of you may not agree with the statement the Minister of Foreign Affairs made in response to the farewell remarks made by the outgoing US ambassador to Zambia, Michael Gonzalez.
But, shove partisan political lenses aside and go for the principle that the Vienna Convention of 1961 sought to protect – mutual respect, the sovereignty and equality of nations.