Niceties of old-style diplomacy still work
A diplomat, as once defined by US writer Caskie Stinnett, "is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip". Stinnett was writing in the mid-20th century, when exchanges between governments still relied on cadres of professionals based in each other's capitals and communicating with home via telegram, or dispatches hand-carried by couriers and consigned to diplomatic bags.
His definition of the diplomat's role encapsulates its essential requirements - sycophancy and duplicity.
These days, world leaders can communicate instantly with both their constituents and each other with no more effort - and frequently no more thought - than it takes to type 140 characters on their Twitter feed.
