Diploma: "folded in two":
the crease
of how we speak
completing a course of study.
"The word 'diplomacy' was first
introduced into English by Edmund Burke
in 1796, based on the French word diplomatie (the -tie in French is
pronounced like the -cy in English and therefore diplomatie sounds very
much like diplomacy only with a French accent)."
—Simon Szykman, "Diplomacy: An Historical Perspective"
The practice of power
descends: if you, if they
chits for obvious layers
representations of clout
interpenetrate;
soft power sinks to the level of hard
sedimentary weapons
leave little room for talking
however
"[t]he continuity of the
diplomatic institution throughout thousands of
years and in all known civilizations shows that diplomacy is an
institution inherent to international life itself, one that may undergo
transformations or may be used with more or less intensity, but cannot
be dispensed with."
—José Calvet De Magalhães
Thus, a chain of tradition extends from
"...modern diplomacy's origins
are often traced to the states of Northern Italy in the early
Renaissance, with the first embassies being established in the
thirteenth century."
— "A Brief History of Diplomacy"
to our own futile attempts:
"Transformational Diplomacy" is Secretary Rice's initiative to "transform old diplomatic institutions to serve new diplomatic purposes,"
which forcefully urges us to:
* Double the number of State Department "deployable staff resources" over the next 10 years.
* Double USAID's deployable staff over the next three years.
* Better integrate foreign affairs strategy and resources through:
* Integrate all government public diplomacy assets "in one semi-autonomous organization reporting to the Secretary of State."
* Develop a "standing and reserve cadre of reconstruction and stabilization professionals."
* Rationalize the Department's organizational structure to accelerate decision-making, devolving "greater authority to senior officials, driving more decision-making down into the organization," and consolidating selected bureaus and offices.
from our own
futile minutes
to the decades of history
from the scale of life
to the scale of society
Barry Carter and his coauthors, in their textbook on international law, write, "Contrary to popular belief, however, diplomatic mission and consular post properties are not extensions of the sending state's territory. Both in fact and in law, diplomatic premises are within the territory of the receiving state."
So, it's just custom not to
breach them?
Yeah, I think it's just the
norm.
I tell people this. I tell many people this.
VERSUS, a differ
from The Embassy Law Blog:
"Real estate owned by a foreign
sovereign and used solely for
diplomatic purposes enjoys protection under German law. In a recent
decision (BGHR 03, 1041), the German Supreme Court in Civil Matters
(Bundesgerichtshof - BGH) prevented such property from going into
foreclosure ... Because of the obvious difficulties in determining the
property's main purpose, international law requires the broad
application of this rule."
—Contributed by Jens Nebel, Esq., Recklinghausen, Germany.
Thu, 10:38:00 4 Dec 2003
EXCEPT:
$450000 FORECLOSURE Embassy Lakes Home
Date: 2008-07-17, 12:08AM EDT
5 bedrooms 2 stories 2 car garage on lake with a pool. Must see. Unbelievable price. Clean home. Great school district. Gated community. Great amenities. Hurry this won't last at this price.
What does a name do
EXCEPT
connect one thing with another thing?
We are prevented in language
from certain actions
that can be described
using that language:
"An embassy is a sacred place, a metaphysical place. It exists where it is but also somewhere else. An embassy is two at once; its hypostasis is the basis of international diplomacy."
There's a metaphysical change
that occurs
when mere land
is transformed into the property of another country.
This forces the nationality of
background land
(e.g. the rest of New Hampshire Ave.)
to be all the more American. A country is pronounced against all the
others
in coalitions or opposed. Remember,
"In language there are only differences, and no positive terms."
— Ferdinand de Saussure
That's cash money we're losing since property taxes are not assessed on foreign embassies.
Maybe that's why DC schools are so crappy.
"Those foreign governments not
providing the United States with
substantially equivalent property rights are not permitted to purchase
real estate for their diplomatic or consular posts."
—The Property Section of the Office of Foreign Missions of
the State Department
For instance, the United States doesn't maintain an embassy in Taiwan (so that it can uphold diplomatic relations with China), but it does manage a consulate to take care of its citizens and substantial business interests there.
Hence,
the United
States Interests Section of the Embassy of
Switzerland in Havana, Cuba or USINT Havana (the State Department
telegraphic address) represents US interests in Cuba.
&
vice versa (2630 and 2639 16th Street).
That is, "official recognition"
does not override
"unconscious (or is
it subconscious?) representation."
But I don't know who pays for
the building on 16th, I suppose the Swiss
government,
but why?
Mobila sits at a desk, the desk
something was stolen from.
You can
imagine what he is wearing, neatly
as all diplomats should be. It is white and bears
the insignia of a country that no longer exists;
alongside that
he is branded wit his new-old country name and logo.
Some brands just need time to breathe.
There is no longer any air-conditioning.
What is he doing? There are papers he is sorting;
Papers protecting the interests of the sending State (the Congo
in the voice of Zaire)
in the receiving State (the US). He is ready to negotiate
but is not permitted to do so. He is a forgotten diplomat
though the administrative assistant, Eve, did not forget about
his right to park at 1800 New Hampshire.
She printed a piece of paper
elucidating this right. She even arranged
for the trash to be picked up.
It was the least she could do
after Mobila ... (what did he do for her? Or for her family?).
It was also the most she could do. Anything else
would have been inappropriate or
simply not tolerated.