Questão 739462

Text I – items 76 through 85

Brazilian diplomacy

The duties of the diplomat are synthesized in the classic formula: inform, represent and negotiate. The diplomat must keep his (or her) country informed about international affairs, work constantly to mark the presence and spread the image of his country abroad, and be prepared to defend national interests in foreign negotiations of a bilateral or multilateral nature.

A fourth task must be added to this formula that places emphasis on the work of the diplomat overseas, namely, internal coordination. Identifying the interests of the nation lies at the base of the diplomat’s work. The diplomat must be permanently articulating with other government employees, members of the Congress, and organized sectors of civil society, in order to be able to define national interests and defend them in proper fashion abroad.

The reality of the diplomatic career is far removed from that other widespread cliché, which claims that this is a professional option for those who want the chance to live in pleasant places overseas. In fact, the great majority of diplomats invariably undergo the experience of living in difficult countries that offer risks to the health and security of both themselves and their family. Furthermore, diplomats must often undergo situations of internal or external conflict in the country to which they are posted. At other times they themselves are the targets of violent actions for political motives. For these reasons, Brazil’s diplomatic service is legally bound to endeavour to assign each civil servant to serve alternately in posts where life is agreeable and in others where living conditions are harsher.

_{Mônica Hirst, João Hermes Pereira de Araújo and Raul Mendes Silva. CD Rom Brazilian Diplomacy: Past and Present. Log On Informática. (with adaptations).}

According to text I, it is correct to say that diplomats

must be perfectly aware of the interests of their countries.