Adel A. FREIHA
Farewell to the Traditional Diplomacy
“Arabweek” December 23, 1993
From “Berythe Publishing House” in Beirut, Adel A. FREIHA, PhD has issued his new book entitled “In Diplomacy” – As he says, it is not a book of diplomatic history, neither a Public International Law nor a geo-strategic one but taking into consideration each of one these fields, since diplomacy, isn’t a subject in itself, but a group of subjects of equal importance.
The book consists of 351 pages with large size. It is divided into two volumes and three sections. The first volume is entitled “Diplomacy under the Control of States” in three sections: to Implement the foreign strategy of countries, to solve the international disputes if these countries were Superpowers or Big Countries, to protect the interest of states.
Throughout this book, it appears to us that the word diplomacy derives, according to Harold NICHOLSON in his book “Diplomacy”, from the Greek word “Diploma”, meaning a written paper. Elton ATWAYTER clarified that Edmond BURK used this word in its new concept, and for the first time, in 1796.
The Latin Language remained the language of diplomacy throughout the Middle-Ages. Nevertheless by the seventeenth century, the Latin language was substituted by French. Elton ATWAYTER emphasized that “the most important treaties that were concluded among the European Countries between 1648 and 1939 were printed in French “due to the clarity of this language”. By the end of the twentieth century, the English language partially replaced the French language in the diplomatic dealing, after the increase of the United State’s power which uses the English Language.
In the opinion of Adel A. FREIHA, diplomacy had lost its standing in the second part of the twentieth century and its brightness, known in the nineteenth century, and in the first part of the twentieth century. Thus, the summit conferences and summit bilateral meetings predominated the traditional diplomacy and imposed a marginal or at least a minor role. The traditional diplomacy will not be able to decrease its shrinkage with the increasing role of periodical and non periodical meetings for the Head of States.
As a result of the speed decline of diplomacy of the Foreign Corps, therefore the traditional diplomacy will only affect slightly political decision which will be in the hands of the summits of Head of States completely.
In his opinion also, the new international political system which became under the hegemony of the United States of America, after the fall of communism in Central and East Europe and in the Soviet Union and the collapse of this superpower, will decrease the importance of traditional diplomacy even from the diplomacy of conferences.
The author confirms that only summit conferences will remain outside the control of new international political system, whereas the traditional diplomacy and the diplomacy of conferences will be subject to this new system.
FREIHA discussed this subject comprehensively, which shows the effort made in order to write this book and the extensiveness of his view in this field.
The attorney Georges JABRE, has written the preamble of this book as follows: “Adel A. FREIHA chose the perfect timing to issue his book in diplomacy, not only because the Lebanese Library lacks of books treating this subject, but also for the comprehensiveness based on documented international references and his extensiveness in the direct diplomatic fields and his explanation to their mechanism”.
