[From Valerian A. Zorin, Osnovy Diplomaticheskoi Sluzhby (The Bases of Diplomatic Service). Institute of International Relations, Moscow, 1964] ROLE OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS By Valerian A. Zorin What are the scientific foundations on which all diplomatic activity of socialist states rests, and what is the basis for their successful diplomacy? The theoretical foundation of Soviet diplomatic activity is a Marxist-Leninist understanding of the international situation, of the laws of social development, of the laws of class struggle, and of the correlation of internal and international social forces, which takes account of the specific national and historical features of each country, group of countries, and continents. It is impossible to develop diplomatic activity correctly without a Marxist-Leninist evaluation of the international situation, without an understanding of the laws of social development and concrete knowledge of the situation in a particular country, and without taking into account the historical and national characteristics of a country. And it must be added that a Marxist-Leninist evaluation of international events and the formulation of a line of diplomatic struggle on this basis is a powerful element in Soviet diplomacy. As a rule, the success of the diplomatic activity of the Soviet Union is determined above all by a correct MarxistLeninist analysis of the situation and of the correlation of forces, and on the contrary, underestimation and imperfect knowledge of the objective laws and of all the changes which are taking place in a country or in several interrelated countries are fraught with miscalculations and mistakes in diplomacy. In his first letter on tactics in April 1917, V. I. Lenin wrote: "Marxism requires of us a most precise and objectively examined calculation of the correlation of classes and of the specific characteristics of a given moment in history."1 V. I. Lenin considered such an approach to be an unconditionally essential requirement for "any scientific foundation for policy." For a socialist state, a scientific foundation for foreign policy and diplomacy is absolutely essential. One must not rely on the external manifestations of phenomena, but rather closely study the underlying processes in a particular country and the correlation of class forces in it, study the internal economic and political development of the country, the trends of that development in both the economic and political fields, including the correlation of forces among various political groups, between struggling classes, etc. This is an essential prerequisite for the success of diplomatic 1 V. I. Lenin. "Pis'ma o taktike." [Letters on tactics] Polnoe sobranie sochinenii [Complete Works]. v. 31, p. 132. activity. Only with due regard for all this is it possible to chart a correct line of conduct and the modes and methods which can be used for achievement of the foreign policy objectives established by the state. Soviet diplomatic tactics with respect to the capitalist countries are guided by the instructions on the utilization of contradictions in the enemy camp and the attraction of allies even if only temporary ones-which V. I. Lenin formulated in his work "The Infantile Disease of 'Leftism' in Communism." These instructions are the theoretical foundation for the tactics of socialist diplomacy. V. I. Lenin wrote: "A more powerful opponent can be defeated only through supreme exertion and only with the categorical, most painstaking, thorough, careful, and skillful use of any 'breach'-even the tiniest one-between the enemies and of any contradiction of interests among the bourgeoisie of individual countries and among the various groups or formations of the bourgeoisie of individual countries, as well as of any possibility-even the slightest one-to acquire a mass ally, even though it might be temporary, unstable, precarious, unreliable, and conditional. The person who has not come to understand this has not understood anything at all about Marxism and the scientific, contemporary socialism in general." 2 This thesis of V. I. Lenin on tactics in the political struggle is also the foundation for the diplomatic tactics, and the entire activity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and of diplomatic representations in the various countries rests on this Leninist thesis. . . . An essential condition for the correct and successful implementation of the objectives of this foreign policy by Soviet diplomacy was and is its direction by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and by its Central Committee, which deals with the most pressing problems of foreign policy from day to day. V. I. Lenin attributed exceptional importance to the everyday direction of Soviet foreign policy and diplomacy by the Party's Central Committee. In 1923, he emphasized: "Does not the Politburo discuss from a Party point of view many insignificant and important matters related to 'moves' by our side in response to the 'moves' of foreign powers in order to thwart their let us say-stratagems, so not to have to resort to less decorous language? Is not this flexible combination of state and Party a source of exceptional strength in our policy?" 3 The leadership of the Communist Party determines and has always determined the proper direction and content and the best methods of Soviet diplomacy. Following Leninist tradition, the CPSU always establishes the objectives of the foreign policy and diplomacy of the Soviet Union at its congresses and at the plenary meetings of the Central Committee. The Central Committee of the CPSU provides day to day direction of the foreign policy measures and of the diplomatic moves implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the USSR, insuring successful attainment of the foreign policy objectives of the Soviet state which have been established by the Party . . . 2 V. I. Lenin, "Detskaia bolezn' 'levizny' v kommunizme." [The infantile disease of 'leftism' in communism] Polnoe sobranie sochinenii [Complete Works], v. 41, p. 55. 3 V. I. Lenin, "Luchshe men'she, da luchshe." [Better fewer, but better] Sochineniia [Works], v. 33, p. 453. In speaking of all the work of the central apparatus of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the USSR, it is particularly necessary to emphasize that the apparatus of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a political apparatus. A political orientation, a sense of responsibility and political maturity in all its activity determine the level of work of the apparatus of this Ministry. This is why, in the selection of cadre for the apparatus of the Ministry, our Party and government always have and always will set high requirements. In his work "Better Fewer but Better," V. I. Lenin underscored the importance of joining in the Soviet state apparatus, and particularly in its more important branches, Soviet and Party cadres. He said that the union of Soviet and Party is "a source of extraordinary strength in our policy." "Hasn't anyone ever noticed," wrote V. I. Lenin, "that in such a people's commissariat as the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs such a union brings with it an extraordinary amount of benefit and that it has been practiced since its very beginning?" The Party has always considered it basic that in the apparatus of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs there should be politically mature people, answerable for each one of their steps, for the slightest mistake in the work of the apparatus has an effect on very important phases. of the external political relations of the USSR. It is sufficient to utter an awkward expression at some reception or other for this to come to light in the foreign press and sometimes cause serious harm to the foreign policy prestige of the country and the foreign policy line of the USSR in general. The second factor which should characterize the activity of the apparatus of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is efficiency, accuracy and precision in work and an attention to detail. This is a most important. quality and characteristic for any worker and for the whole apparatus of the Ministry in general. In diplomatic work there are no minor details, since often out of a petty fact there grow great events. Sometimes by means of an insignificant fact it is possible to grasp the beginning of change in the policy of one or another state and this obliges each worker of the Ministry to be very attentive even to the small facts of international life, the policy of states, and to the behavior of envoys and other diplomatic workers of these states. In particular this is the case with envoys of major powers. Not infrequently through their questions and remarks in conversations it is possible to judge of the commencement of a shift in policy of one or another government. This, of course, also applies to the pronouncements of responsible workers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Therefore each word of a diplomat must be well considered. Any thoughtless step might play a negative role. In important questions it is not permissible that any worker can say at his own cost and risk anything having even the least real meaning. On this point the Min istry has a firm centralization. However, a firm centralization of work should not exclude initiative on the part of the workers. In the plan for the development of initiative of diplomatic workers in foreign missions the presence of relationships of one kind or another between the diplomatic officials and the governmental and societal circles of the country of residence is of great importance. Therefore relationships should be formed in a rational manner, taking all circumstances into account. It is necessary to be firm in contacts with foreigners and daily self-control should be exercised. However, the policy line looking toward an expansion of useful relationships and toward the display of rational initiative in diplomatic work should be applied consistently both in the central apparatus and in the embassies and missions. Taking into account the serious political significance of such relationships and of personal initiative by workers for each and every diplomatic mission and for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a whole, it is essential that this initiative be coordinated with centralization in the work of the diplomatic cadres as a whole. [From An. Kovalev, Azbuka Diplomatii (The ABC's of Diplomacy), 2nd edition, rev. and enl. Institute of International Relations. Moscow. 1968] DOCUMENTS OF SOVIET DIPLOMACY: TWO By An. Kovalev Diplomatic correspondence and diplomatic documents, being one of the forms of diplomatic activity, bear traits essential to the diplomacy of a given state. Therefore the diplomatic correspondence and diplomatic documents of the Soviet state, as of other socialist states, in their content, and consequently in much of their form, since form is determined by content, also differ from the diplomatic correspondence and diplomatic documents of capitalist states and in the same way as socialist diplomacy as a whole differs from the diplomacy of capitalist states. V. I. Lenin emphasized the difference in methods of socialist and capitalist diplomacy. "The case is," he said in a speech at the conclusion of the Ninth Congress of the Russian Communist Party on April 5, 1920, "that capitalist society takes decisions in everything that especially interests the citizens-the conditions of economic existence, war and peace-in secrecy from society. The most important questions, war, peace, diplomatic problems, are settled by a minuscule group of capitalists who deceive not only the masses but even often deceive parliament." He pointed out that "bourgeois diplomacy is unable to understand the methods of our new diplomacy of open, direct statements.". ... The essence of the Leninist analysis of diplomacy of open and direct declarations does not consist in the fact that each diplomatic document must be "open" in the sense of its immediate publication, but in that it should have no other content than that which is expressed directly and openly. The principal feature that characterizes the methods of a diplomacy of open and direct declarations is the correspondence of these declarations to the real content of the commitments which they contain, to their actual intent, and the faithfulness to the agreements reached. Soviet diplomacy has no need of masking its goals, since the goals of the foreign policy of the Soviet Union express the vital interests not only of the peoples of the socialist countries but of all peoples on earth. This policy is interested in making as wide as possible an explanation of the basic thought of measures which it has undertaken. The more thoroughly this is done, the greater understanding will be given to the foreign policy actions of the Soviet Union throughout the world and the greater attractive force these actions, which are often undertaken by means of statements with the accompanying diplomatic documents, will acquire. Therefore, Soviet diplomacy in its whole activity is making an unflagging effort to bring to the minds and |