One decade into the new millennium, we find ourselves immersed in an age of profound interdependence. The global economy and advancing technologies obscure borders and eclipse distances. Now more than ever, we must learn to live together, respecting our differences as we pursue our common goals.

Our greatest mission today is to strengthen the positive forces of interdependence while minimizing the negative ones. We must engage our neighbors in a constructive dialogue that will allow us to tackle questions of how to resolve the economic crisis and combat global warming, poverty, disease, and the lack of access to education; how we can increase our security and reduce religious, cultural and ideological conflicts; and, in so doing, how we can restore the United States’ standing and leadership in the world. All this requires immense international cooperation in which diplomacy will play a critical role.

Diplomacy, in theory, seems simple: by treating our neighbors with respect and dignity, we can work through our tensions and bridge our divides. In reality, it’s a delicate art, and the prerequisites for its effective practice include tremendous discipline, acute cultural awareness, and mastery of a code of conduct known as diplomatic protocol.

[…] The way in which we interact with one another have dramatically changed. Today’s technology affords us unprecedented opportunities to exchange ideas freely and instantly. It also requires us to communicate at a frenetic pace, leading us to relax our standards of formality – in some cases, to our disadvantage. When we omit courtesies and context from our messages, we compromise the clarity of our objectives, leaving them vulnerable to misinterpretation. There is little margin of error within the realm of international relations, when seemingly minor missteps can have significant consequences.

The conventions of diplomatic protocol guide us in accurately expressing our intentions. Although the term may imply a rigid, old-fashioned sense of pomp and circumstance, it need not. Protocol evolves in step with our transition to interdependence. By upholding traditions, acknowledging customs, and maintaining appropriate formalities in our interactions with other nations, we convey respect and order, helping to create an environment conducive to mutual understanding and collaborative decision making. […]

If, as I believe, the future will require public-private partnerships working together to address our most pressing challenges, mastering diplomatic protocol will be everyone’s first step to success.

President Bill Clinton

August 3, 2009

State Protocol of the Republic of Armenia

The State Protocol in the Republic of Armenia is regulated by the "Basic Provisions of the State Protocol of the Republic of Armenia”, endorsed by Presidential Decree No.1067 of March 16, 2002.

The mentioned Basic Provisions are intended to regulate the procedures for the implementation of state ceremonial events with the participation of the President and legislative bodies of RA, deriving from internationally accepted ceremonial criteria and the national traditions and customs of the Armenian people.

The implementation of the functions set forth by the aforementioned Basic Provisions is under the responsibility and coordination of the "State Protocol Service” Agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The State Protocol of the Republic of Armenia has several important functions, which are fulfilled either by the State Protocol Service or under its direct assistance and guidance.

Those functions include the preparation and implementation of the visits to foreign states of delegations headed by the President, the Chairman of the National Assembly (with his consent), the Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Constitutional Court (with his consent), the Minister of Foreign Affairs of RA, the preparation and implementation of the international events with the participation of the latter held in the Republic of Armenia, as well as the preparation and implementation of the visits to the Republic of Armenia held by the heads of foreign states and governments, agencies responsible for foreign affairs, international organizations and official high-level delegations headed by the latter, as well as heads of special diplomatic missions and diplomatic representations and persons accompanying the abovementioned officials.

In the framework of fulfilling the functions, assistance is provided for the preparation and handling of the ceremonial issues related to the visits to foreign states held by the official delegations of the National Assembly, the Constitutional Court, the ministries, state agencies and other state bodies of RA, the participation of officially authorized representatives of the latter in the international events held in the Republic of Armenia, as well as the visits to the Republic of Armenia held by the official delegations of the parliaments, constitutional courts, ministries and agencies of foreign states, including military delegations as well. The visits of delegations of other level either than the mentioned above or specialized-expertise delegations and the ceremonial events related to the latter are prepared and implemented by the responsible bodies and the overall guidance is provided by the State Protocol Service.

One of the most important functions of the State Protocol of RA is ensuring the diplomatic ceremonial procedures related to the accreditation, taking up of responsibilities and the completion of the mission of the heads of diplomatic and consular missions and military attachés of RA, the representatives of RA in international organizations, as well as the heads of diplomatic and consular missions and military attachés of foreign states and the heads of representations of international organizations with diplomatic status accredited in RA.

The State Protocol is also responsible for the administering of diplomatic ceremonial correspondence with the diplomatic missions and the representations of international organizations with diplomatic status accredited in RA, the coordination of the everyday work with the latter, the arrangement of questions related to the use of chattel and real estate and the immunities and privileges of diplomatic personnel, ensuring the diplomatic ceremonial procedures of the official events held in RA with the participation of the Diplomatic Corps, as well as the organization of the official, working and courtesy meetings between the heads of the foreign missions and the state authorities of RA.

 The State Protocol Service works out and approves the rules of procedure for the ceremonial events deriving from the Basic Provisions of State Protocol, carries out the necessary work with the state bodies of RA and the foreign missions and representations of international organizations accredited in Armenia for acquainting the latter with the requirements set forth in the abovementioned Basic Provisions and the protocol norms applied in the Republic of Armenia.

  http://www.mfa.am/en/protocol