Diplomatic Correspondence

Example for Popular Education

No matter what age you are now, your dream about world peace is real. Dream about free communication and cooperation of countries, nations and people all over the world. But you need a way to tell them. You can write them a letters, lot of them, but you must have at least some kind of general idea how to do it.

You want them to take you seriously, don't you?

Besides, their eye has got used to certain form of printed materials.

About 30 years ago, international official letters were formated something like this:
(well, not any more, this is only example, but nowadays the Correspondence is not much different)


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Diplomatic Correspondence Guide

Provisional Edition

Foreign Service Institute
Manila, Philippines


Foreword

The practice of preparing proper forms of diplomatic communications dates back to early periods of history when contacts among nations assumed great importance. Since then, standardized forms have developed, which member states of the family of nations generally now use.

Diplomatic correspondence is the art of communicating among states and putting into written form important information, discussions or agreements essential to the conduct of foreign relations. Hence, the need for a proper and accepted style of writing.

At the request of the Board of Foreign Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Manila, the Foreign Service Institute has prepared a Diplomatic Correspondence Guide which would serve as a ready reference of the personnel of the home office and the foreign serevice (please see memorandum dated 24 April 1980).

We have included in this Guide the different types of diplomatic correspondence and reports, and explained the processes involved in their preparation, drafting and handling. Instructions are also given for each type of correspondence. A section on ceremonial correspondence (protocol) is included to familiarize those interested on the subject matter.

This Guide welcomes suggestions for further improvement. It presents current practices, customs and procedures which may be changed in time. As new regulations and Ministry orders on diplomatic correspondence are adopted, we intend to come out with better, updated or revised editions.

Rodolfo A. Arizala
(Counselor)

Manila, 14 February 1981