Aspects of the New Diplomacy

What is observable in the world diplomacy is a change in terms of the dimension of diplomacy. It is not only diplomacy between two countries, but there are more actors involved. The amount of conferences attended by more than two or three states increased; as a result multilateral diplomacy occurred and although it is not completely new, it is believed to be “a twentieth-century phenomenon” (Berridge 2010:143). What is important to notice, is that some of those multilateral conferences have become permanent. Moreover, it is strictly connected with the emergence of new actors on the international relations' scene. Those new actors, like, e.g. NGOs “influence inter-state behaviour to achieve their own objectives” (Baylis&Smith 2005:391) Their activity is remarkably visible if we look at the environmental issues and conferences that are taking place. Since United Nations Conference on Human Environment, held in Stockholm in 1972, NGO involvement in international decision-making processes related to the environment and sustainable development has escalated. If we would like to compare, representatives of more than 250 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) attended the Stockholm Conference, whilst more than 1,400 NGOs were accredited to the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro (Betsill 2008:1). Another important aspect in terms of “new diplomacy” is using technological development (telephones or video-conferences) in order to communicate. Although “telephone diplomacy has serious drawbacks” non other mean of communication “has been greater than that on the telephone” (Berridge 2010:193). As an example we can take reaction of the worlds' leaders on the death of Polish President, Lech Kaczyński:

Obama calls Polish Prime Minister after crash http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/9025935