Tit For Tat

Tit for tat is not an effective foreign policy tactic.

Countries that apply such tactics invariably end up looking like immature idiots, and end up embroiling themselves in situations that others have to help them out of in order to avoid bloodshed.

Closed Doors

A closed door is not necessarily a locked door!

Peace

The foundations for lasting peace (in a region, or between various groups) are only stable if the foundations are constructed by those who are currently doing the fighting, peace that is imposed/enforced by others never lasts.

Contact

Contact between people and countries (even if they hate each other) builds understanding and lessens the chances of disputes.

Strategies

Strategies based on wishful thinking and false premises are destined to fail.

Advice To Governments and Diplomats

Slamming a door in someone else's face may mean that you are unable to walk through it later.

The "Special Relationship"

There is much nonsense spouted by some about the so called "special relationship" between the USA and UK.

There is nothing "special", aside from the fact that both countries more or less speak the same language and, in a minority, there is a genetic link between the two countries.

Aside from the above, "special" only comes into play when the self interests of both nations happen to coincide, or the UK kowtows to the US because it needs something.

Signals

In order for a signal to be effective, the intended recipient has to see it and understand it.

Principles

Once "principles" are ditched, diplomacy and commonsense can raise their heads and real progress can be made.

Pressure

Those who apply only pressure and more pressure, without giving the person or country on which they apply the pressure any kind of alternative, will end up with a nasty fight/war on their hands.

Advice To Western Diplomats, Western Leaders et al

Don't assume that just because things happen/happened in the West in a certain way, that they will happen in the same way in Asia Pacific.

Backchannels

Backchannels build bridges.

Political Nukes

Ex politicians and diplomats, who rant and rave on the sidelines at the policies pursued by their replacements, should remember that once they have lobbed thier "political nuke" they have nothing else to use.

Summits

Summits are a process, they need to be worked at on all levels over a period of time and followed up; they are not a one stop photo opportunity.

Diplomats

An undiplomatic diplomat is not fit for purpose.

Threats

The best and most effective of threats are those couched in the language of diplomacy.

Advice To Presidents

When you use your financial institutions and currency as a diplomatic weapon, don't be surprised when that policy revisits you to bite you in the arse in the form of a collapsing currency.

Diplomacy

Diplomacy is best left to the diplomats, and best conducted via diplomatic channels rather than publicly in the media.

Advice To Diplomats

When putting together a breakthrough diplomatic deal, that involves the transfer of money, make sure that you communicate your plan to the banks involved first.

Diplomacy

In order for diplomacy to actually work and be effective, it is necessary for countries to have both formal and informal contacts with each other, as well as diplomats actually placed in situ.

Countries that do not have these arrangements, do not have a hope in hell of resolving issues diplomatically.