Cyclopædia of Political Science, Political Economy, and the Political History of the United States

NEGOTIATIONS

NEGOTIATIONS. Diplomatic negotiations are generally conducted viva voce. It is only when all points are agreed upon, that any documents are exchanged. The negotiator, therefore, has room to exhibit talent of an order which it is somewhat difficult to define. In general, the ambassador or the ordinary minister plenipotentiary has charge of the negotiations; sometimes a special negotiator acts with him; in exceptional circumstances, an envoy extraordinary is intrusted with the mission of drawing up the treaty.

—When, in the course of the negotiations, the tenor of a dispatch is of major importance, the foreign negotiator submits it to the minister of foreign affairs of the sovereign to whom he is accredited. This minister rectifies, if necessary, the wording of it, makes the expression of his opinion exact, and while he is considered to write nothing, renders relatively authentic the reproduction of its words. For the negotiator will never fail to make known to his own minister, that his dispatch has been examined. This examination does not prevent the negotiator from adding a special confidential letter.

M. B.