In fact, the letter is a reflection of the applicant's personality. The judge begins to have an opinion about the applicant that he has presented his own arguments, perceiving the appeal and his thoughts. It becomes very responsible in situations where the outcome depends on intellectual persuasion. It is very expensive to obtain a useful sample from a lawyer. The reason is labor, which is not possible without skill.

A memorandum is a type of written diplomatic act, which is an official document used in correspondence between foreign bodies of external relations, governments of different countries, as well as between bodies within one state. The memorandum, unlike other documents of this type (memorandums, notes, etc.), contains the most complete amount of information on a separate issue discussed in it, including an analysis of the relevant factual data, a reasonable position of the addressee state and a reasoned conclusion . In addition, the memorandum may include a reverse argument with arguments from the other side.

Types of diplomatic documents

A diplomatic act is a written text that is delivered or sent by the foreign relations bodies of one state to the foreign relations bodies of another state. The most common diplomatic acts are notes, memorandums, and communiqués. diplomatic letter.

A note is an official appeal from one state to the government of another; a document whose contents should be the subject of serious and prompt consideration. A note is a diplomatic act by which a right or claim can be asserted, a protest against the wrong acts of another government. Notes, like other formal diplomatic documents, may not contain express agreement or protest, but may be of an informational nature. But even in this case, they have a certain legal significance: a fact stated in a note in a certain wording expresses the official point of view of a given government.

The note should be short in content, without unnecessary phrases, and carefully edited.

Notes are divided into verbal and personal (personal).

A note verbale is drawn up on behalf of one representative office to another. A note verbale is written impersonally, i.e. in the third person, on a letterhead, contains an appeal, an introductory compliment ( The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pays its respects to the Italian Embassy and has the honor to inform...), final compliment ( Ministry of Foreign Affairs Russian Federation takes this opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the French Republic in the Russian Federation the assurances of its high regard), is not signed (there can only be the initials of the head of the embassy), but is sealed and has a number; at the bottom of the note the addressee and the city of his location are indicated.

A note verbale is a diplomatic note equated to an oral statement (previously, a note verbale was a document not intended for publication, i.e. a statement made orally and then written down).

Personal note - a document drawn up in the first person on a letterhead with the state coat of arms and a signature under the coat of arms ("Ministry of Foreign Affairs" or "Embassy"). A personal note contains an address, the document can be printed, but the address and final compliment must be written by hand (otherwise it will be disrespectful to the addressee). Usually, with a personal note, the ambassador notifies other ambassadors of the presentation of their credentials or notifies them of their arrival in the capital of the host country. Addresses used in personal notes are strictly regulated:

– to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Mr. Minister or Your Representative Office;

- to the ambassador: Mr. Ambassador or Your Representative Office;

– to persons of clergy: to the Pope – Your Holiness, to the cardinal - Your Eminence, to the archbishop - My lord or Your Mightiness, to the bishop - My lord or Your Grace;

- in England, when addressing a statesman, it is obligatory to mention the title of nobility ( baronet, lord etc.).

A personal note begins with an official address, then a compliment follows (if something official is being communicated, then the note begins with the words: I have the honor to inform you that...), final compliment ( I ask you to,< title or title >, accept the assurances of my deepest respect for you...).

Memorandum memorandum from lat. memorandum'something to remember') is a diplomatic document given to a representative of another country, setting out the government's views on some issue.

A memorandum is most often an appendix to a note. The memorandum sets out in detail the factual side of a particular issue, provides an analysis of any provisions or contains objections to the arguments of the other side. The attachment memorandum is not written on letterhead, the document is not numbered, and usually (but not in all countries) it indicates the place and date of departure. If the memorandum is sent separately (the so-called express memorandum) or by courier, then it is drawn up on a letterhead, indicating the place and date of departure, but always without a signature or seal.

Communiqué (French) communication from lat. communico‘I inform’) – official message higher authorities state authorities, bodies of external relations, representatives of various states or international organizations about events of an international nature: the situation in any area of ​​​​interstate relations, the progress or results of negotiations, ongoing military operations, etc. In addition to purely informational tasks, communiqués often carry more significant semantic load: if it highlights the position of the publisher on political and legal problems, gives their assessment, makes public the obligations and goals of interested parties, their intentions, and warnings. In some cases, communiqués may include materials containing documented results of interstate contacts that have taken place.

Diplomatic letter. In diplomatic practice, diplomatic letters are sometimes used, which are basically a form of personal note. Official letters and notes are usually drawn up in the language of the sender or in one of the diplomatic languages. Letters are written on official letterhead (ambassador or minister of foreign affairs). The date and signature in the diplomatic letter are required.

The purpose of a private letter of a semi-official nature is to establish personal contacts for various purposes: establishing business connections, obtaining political information, etc. In England, for example, such letters after an invitation to a private reception confirm the intention to continue communication, and the absence of a letter indicates an unwillingness to maintain the relationship. But there are people to whom you cannot help but send a reply letter (for example, the queen).

Any diplomatic document has its own protocol of preparation. which in writing expresses respect for the addressee. As a rule, a diplomatic document begins and ends with an accepted social compliment.

An important role in business correspondence speech etiquette plays. Properly composed letters create a favorable impression of the sender.

The basis of the rules business etiquette constitutes a polite and respectful attitude towards a business partner, compliance

a certain distance between employees occupying different official positions, the ability to speak No. without offending the partner, tolerance for other people's opinions, the ability to be self-critical.

To the compilers business letters You should not encourage the addressee to rush or impose an expected outcome using sentences like: Please resolve the issue positively .

In business and diplomatic spheres, a business card is mandatory. In diplomatic practice, a business card is used not only to introduce its owner. Using short symbols that are written in the lower left corner, you can express:

Treaty and memorandum in international law

The true intentions of states are contained in their treaties,

Wilhelm Schwebel

Understanding the difference between a treaty and a memorandum is a rather complex issue even for experienced diplomats, not to mention ordinary legally unsavvy citizens who find it difficult to understand the intricacies of international law. However, in light latest events. related to the controversial situation around the Budapest Memorandum and violations of its terms. this issue has caused a huge amount of controversy, both in national and Western media.

Much has been said about the fact that the Ukrainian government repeatedly refers to the Budapest Memorandum as if it were a real military treaty, although, according to many experts, it is not. In fact, we have the unfortunate fact of an incorrect reading of this memorandum, which can rather be called not an official agreement, but a diplomatic document, by signing which the parties made promises to each other as part of the denuclearization of the former Soviet republics after the collapse of the USSR. Consequently, no one was going to defend Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO and does not have, for example, with the United States, any kind of legal military alliance or defense pact, and, moreover, was not obliged, since the obligations of the guarantor countries still remain unfulfilled beyond the framework provided for by the UN Charter, a number of UN resolutions and the Final Act of the CSCE.

Then what is the difference between these concepts? So, if we talk about “documents” between states, then they can be described as “instruments”, some of which are intended to create rights and obligations under international law, and others to set out intentions and decisions that are political in nature, but are not binding . The first type of document, in accordance with the terms of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties 1969, is indeed called a “treaty” and means an international agreement concluded between states in writing and governed by international law, regardless of whether this agreement is set out in one or more related documents

The only way a document can be designated as a treaty is by looking at certain words that clearly state the rights and obligations of the parties under international law, such as “force” or “agree.” At the same time, the use of other words, such as “decide” instead of “agree,” may give the impression that the two states are trying to avoid legally binding language and are instead using alternative terms. Therefore, the main thing in a document is the terminology, because even its name does not matter: a “statute” or “charter” may well be non-binding documents, while a “term of office” may be a contract.

If we talk about memoranda, we can see that this also confirms the fact that the title of the document has nothing to do with its legal status. In the past, and even today, preparing treaties as documents labeled "Memorandum of Understanding" was common practice, especially among Commonwealth member states. However, following disputes between the UK and the US over the legal status of a particular "Memorandum of Understanding", there is a growing tendency to use the name "memorandum" for non-binding (non-contractual) documents, with the result that the legal status of "memorandums" has become unclear and confusing. . Therefore, the role and advantages of the Budapest Memorandum today are very difficult to assess, because its signing in fact turned out to be a statement of the diplomatic policy of that time, and as a result, in the new geopolitical realities, it did not become a factor in protecting the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

It should also be understood that some contracts are concluded in a simplified form, while others, intended to deal with more significant or controversial topics, are concluded in a solemn form. Therefore, in practice, a document called a "Memorandum of Understanding" is usually a contract in simplified form, if, of course, it was intended to be a contract and not a non-binding document.

Diplomatic act

DIPLOMATIC ACT, a written text that is handed over or sent by the foreign relations bodies of one state to the foreign relations bodies of another state. The most common diplomatic acts are a note, a memorandum, an official letter, and an aide-mémoire.

A note is a diplomatic act, with the help of which a right or claim can be declared, a protest against the wrong acts of another government, and an agreement can be concluded through the exchange of notes (in the latter case, the agreement is stated in a note of one party, and the second party repeats it in its response note ). Notes, like other formal diplomatic documents, may not contain a direct agreement or protests, but may be of an informational nature. But even in this case, they have a certain legal significance: a fact stated in a note in a certain wording expresses the official point of view of a given government.

A note, as a rule, is an individual diplomatic act, but in recent practice there are also collective notes. that is, written statements addressed jointly by representatives of several states to a specific government on any one case. A collective note is usually solemn in nature and assumes close relations between the states that signed it. Common in practice, including in the practice of the USSR, are the so-called identical (or parallel) notes, when several representative offices address notes that are exactly the same in content to the government of a given country. In some cases, one government sends identical notes to 3-4 of its counterparties. For example, in this form the USSR's representations were made on the issue of the threat to peace that is observed in the activities of some imperialist states. Typically, the press provides the text of one note indicating that identical notes are sent to the governments of other states.

Single (or individual) notes are divided into personal (personal) and verbal notes. A personal note is written in the first person, on the letterhead of the person signing it and is drawn up in a certain form (there is an appeal, a personal signature, etc.). It is sent without a number and in the original. The note verbale is written impersonally, that is, in the third person, on letterhead, contains an appeal accompanied by a compliment (“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its respects to the Luxembourg Embassy and has the honor to inform.”), is not signed, but is sealed and has a number.

A memorandum is most often an appendix to a note. It sets out in detail the factual side of a particular issue, provides an analysis of any provisions or contains objections to the arguments of the other side, the memorandum-application is not written on letterhead, without a number, usually (but not in all countries) it indicates the place and date departures. If the memorandum is sent separately (the so-called express memorandum) or by courier, it is drawn up on letterhead, indicating the place and date of departure, but always without a signature or seal.

One type of diplomatic act is an aide-memoire - something like a brief memorandum in addition to an oral statement. Drawed up in impersonal form, without address, number and address, only indicating the place and date of departure.

As a rule, it is passed from hand to hand during a conversation. An express memorandum by courier is sent separately and serves as a reminder of one or another issue that has already been notified or stated in the memorandum. In form, an express memorandum is almost no different from a verbal note: it is written in the third person on a letterhead, with a number, with a date and date, contains an appeal and a compliment, but in content it is only a reminder of a fact.

In diplomatic practice, so-called official letters are sometimes used. which are basically a form of personal note. Official letters and notes are usually drawn up in the language of the sender or in one of the diplomatic languages.

This information is necessary primarily for Caesar, ambassadors and their secretaries. These rules will be printed in four copies and provided to the designated persons.

Diplomatic documents, that is, those that relate to the foreign policy of states, occupy a special place.

These include: speeches by government officials, messages, notes, memoranda, letters from governments outlining the positions of states on the issues under discussion. The content of diplomatic documents reflects the diversity of life itself. In form, these can be messages recognizing the independence of states and a proposal to establish diplomatic relations, statements affecting the fate of all peoples, and warnings and protests regarding the actions of certain states in the international arena that pose a threat to the peace and independence of other states.

The following types of diplomatic correspondence will be used in this game:

Personal notes;
official notes;
memorial notes;
private letters of a semi-official nature.

Some of these documents are framed by so-called politeness formulas - compliments. There are no such formulas in other documents.

Protocol politeness formulas are used in personal and verbal notes, memos sent by couriers (a form of document that is used quite rarely).

Personal note is sent on issues of important and fundamental importance or contains information about any major event. The note is drawn up in the first person on behalf of the person signing the note and begins with an address. The most common form is: “Dear Mr. (name)”, “Dear Mr. Ambassador”. This message is intended to favorably dispose the recipient regarding the content of the text. Next comes the semantic part of the document. The note ends with a compliment (politeness formula), in which the author “testifies his respect.”

The tonality of personal notes can be more or less warm. If a note begins with the words: “Mr. Extrerrior”, “Mr. Ambassador” and ends with “With respect” (without “sincere” or “deep”), then the author’s intention is obviously to give the note a restrained character.

Extraordinator or Ambassador: I ask you, Mr. Ambassador, to accept the assurances of my highest respect.

Caesar or king: I ask you, Your Majesty, to accept the assurances of my highest regard.

The nature of the compliment must take into account the principle of reciprocity, especially in the case of sending a return note.

The form of appeal also depends on the specific case and local practice. The letter may contain:

to the exterior - Mr. Exterior, Your Excellency;
Ambassador - Mr. Ambassador, Your Excellency;
to the ruler of the state - Your Majesty.

The seal, as well as the surname and position of the signatory, are not affixed to the personal note.

The address is written in the lower left corner of the first page of the note, regardless of the number of sheets. The address indicates the rank of the person to whom the note is sent. In some cases, depending on local practice and on the basis of mutual respect, a title is used before the surname of the person to whom the personal note is sent.

Sample personal note:
Secretariat of His Majesty Caesar Driksen.

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

Please accept my sincere gratitude for your friendly congratulations on the occasion of the engagement of Princess (name) and Prince (name).

I fully share your opinion that this union will serve to strengthen friendship between our countries.

With deep respect,
(personal signature).

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Gaunau.
Embassy of Gaunau. Einrecht.

Official note- the most common document. Exterriorates, secretariats of rulers and embassies conduct diplomatic correspondence mainly by sending official notes.

Official notes are used to consider and resolve a wide range of issues. They set out political, economic and other problems of both a bilateral and multilateral nature. The notes also request all kinds of permissions, report incidents involving embassy employees, and provide embassies with information of a representative nature (about organizing trips around the country, inviting diplomats to official events, etc.

Formal notes begin and end with a compliment. The note begins with the full name of the sender and recipient: “The Embassy of the Kingdom of Talig shows its respect to His Majesty Gottfried Caesar Driksen and has the honor to inform...”
The final compliment contains the abbreviated title: “The Embassy takes this opportunity to renew to His Majesty the assurances of its highest regard.”

A compliment is not used in notes containing a message declaring mourning in the country, or in notes expressing condolences.

The range of protocol politeness formulas is very wide. This allows you to soften a more austere tone or give it more warmth. However, you should always remember: nothing is valued so highly or costs so little as politeness. Strong expressions, rhetorical turns of phrase, vague hints, exclamation marks, abbreviations in the form of “etc. and so on." are not allowed in musical notation. When working on the text of a note containing, for example, a protest, it is worth remembering that it may not be accepted, and this, in turn, can lead to a conflict situation with far-reaching consequences.

The text of official notes is written in the third person.

Example of an official note:
Embassy of the Kingdom of Gaunau.
Einrecht
(date of)

The Embassy of the Kingdom of Gaunau pays respect to His Majesty Gottfried Caesar Driksen and has the honor to announce that our kingdom will honor the obligations assumed in relation to our union. While it continues to have full confidence in the victorious end of the present war, in full agreement with the allies, it is also completely confident that the issues raised by this war will be resolved in the spirit of creating a solid basis for lasting peace.

(signature of the ambassador, his name and embassy seal)

To His Majesty Caesar Driksen Gottfried
Secretariat of His Majesty Caesar Driksen
Einrecht

Memoirs usually presented in person in order to enhance the meaning or emphasize the importance of an oral statement or request made during a conversation, to facilitate further progress of the matter, and to prevent the possibility of misinterpretation or understanding of the conversation or oral statement.

The text of the memorandum is drawn up in an impersonal form (in the third person), contains an appeal and a compliment, and has a designation of the place of sending and the date. Unlike a note verbale, such notes are not stamped or addressed. At the top there is an inscription: “Memoir”.

Memorandums are sent either at the request of the person with whom the conversation took place, or as a reminder of a particular issue. In diplomatic practice, there are 2 types of memos: a) sent personally, b) sent by courier.

Example of a memo:
Talig Kingdom Embassy
Einrecht
(date of)

“The Embassy of the Kingdom of Talig expresses its respect to His Majesty Gottfried Caesar Driksen and hopes that the issue of preferential duties for trade in the cities of Methenberg, Rotvogel and Kirschenbaumen will be resolved as soon as possible.

The Embassy takes this opportunity to renew His Majesty's assurances of its highest regard.

(personal signature of the ambassador)

Private letter of a semi-official nature is sent to familiar officials in cases where any assistance is required in resolving issues that are the subject of official correspondence or negotiations, in order to emphasize the interest of the author in a given matter or to expedite the resolution of any issue by using the influence of the person to whom the letter is sent.

Private letters are written on plain paper, the reverse side of the sheet is not used. The address in such a letter is as follows: “Dear Mr. N (position or name).”

A final compliment is required. Date and personal signature required. The address is written only on the envelope.

Sample private letter:
Einrecht, (date).

Dear Mr. Ambassador,

Returning to our pleasant conversation yesterday, I would like to thank you once again for your kind invitation to the musical evening.

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the music and the performance was top notch.
The evening spent in your home will remain in our memory for a long time.

Please accept, Mr. Ambassador, the assurances of my deep respect for you.

Diplomatic correspondence between states.

One of the main and, in fact, extremely important aspects of diplomatic work is the drafting of diplomatic documents.

There are many different types of diplomatic documents. A significant part of the documents are exclusively of an intradepartmental nature, and another category of diplomatic documents includes documents through which official correspondence between states is carried out. These documents reflect the state’s position on any issue of international relations. Some of them are confidential due to certain circumstances (there are even oral messages whose contents are read out, but not officially transmitted to the addressee).

Most diplomatic documents are never published because the subject matter is not of great importance (for example, applications for a visa). But a fairly large part of diplomatic documents, especially those related to important international problems, are published.

Until recently, there were 5 types of official written messages in diplomatic practice:

1 personal correspondence, 2 note verbale, 3 memo, 4 memoranda and 5 semi-official letters.

A personal note is drawn up in the form of a letter from one person, on behalf of the person who signed it. It begins with a greeting and ends with an expression of respect, that is, generally accepted phrases expressing respect.

A note verbale is considered the most common form of diplomatic correspondence; it is written in the third person and is usually not signed. It begins and ends with generally accepted phrases expressing respect. Some reference books on diplomatic practice, especially Rnst Statow's seminal book, do not refer to personal notes as a separate form of diplomatic correspondence, but simply call them memos. However, it is noted that the note can be written in 1st or 3rd person.

In diplomatic practice, however, it is customary to distinguish between personal notes and verbal notes. Personal notes are drawn up in the 1st person and are signed, while notes verbale are drawn up in the 3rd person and are either not signed or only initials are indicated at the end.

Until recently, the choice of the type of note, signed or unsigned, was considered as a certain indicator of the relationship between states (which exchange correspondence). Nowadays, notes verbales have become a part of international relations and nowadays no one considers a note verbale sent to an embassy as an expression of ill will.

Memorandum. In diplomatic practice, there are 2 types of these notes: a) transmitted personally and b) delivered by courier. The purpose of aide-memoires is to promote further development of relationships and prevent misinterpretations and misunderstandings, verbally and in personal communications.

The memorandum can be treated as a separate document or it can be an appendix to a personal note or note verbale. In the latter case, the memorandum explains the subject matter of the note. A distinctive feature of the memorandum is its detailed coverage of the factual and legal aspects of a particular issue.

In describing the Rnsta memorandum, Statow notes that this type of diplomatic document often presents a detailed statement of facts and arguments based on them and is not significantly different from a note except that the memorandum does not begin or end with an expression of respect and does not require a signature. But it is advisable to attach a covering note to it. Previously, they were called deduction or expose de motifs.

Semi-official or official letters are sent to officials with whom the author is familiar, for personal reasons (gratitude for the invitation, request for help) or for administrative matters.

Most diplomatic documents contain the following elements:

a) protocol terminology;

b) purpose (essence of the document);

c) argumentation;

d) statement of a fact or facts.

Under (protocol terminology) the correct address to the addressee, an expression of respect at the beginning and an expression of respect at the conclusion of the document. The terminology of the protocol is used in personal messages from heads of government or state, in personal correspondence, in verbal notes, in memos delivered by courier (the latter type of document is almost never used). In other types of diplomatic documents, the terminology of the protocol is not taken into account.

As the name suggests, the main purpose (essence) is the main part of the diplomatic document. It may be very short compared to other parts, but it is this part that contains the main idea of ​​​​the document and, in fact, a condensed statement of the state’s position on the main issue of discussion. Correctly highlighting the purpose (essence) of a document means correctly understanding the meaning of a diplomatic document.

documents containing the proposal;

documents expressing protest;

documents warning of possible retaliatory measures;

documents containing a political or legal assessment regarding the actions of another state or states or in relation to any international event;

documents declaring measures that can be taken or have already been implemented and are of international importance;

documents of the agreement and the extent of agreement reached.

Naturally, this classification is to some extent arbitrary, since in practice any diplomatic document can combine several of the characteristics outlined above. Even in this case, however, one of the meanings prevails.

Traditionally, in diplomatic correspondence, the rules of tact and politeness are observed, rude expressions that offend the dignity of the country to which the diplomatic document is sent are avoided.

Diplomatic documentation or, in other words, documentation is the recording of political and diplomatic information on various media according to established rules for the purpose of its subsequent use. There are two main categories of such documents - information carriers: a) official documents through which written communications between states and other subjects of international relations are carried out and b) internal documents that ensure the activities of government bodies, various departments, organizations and institutions in the field of foreign policy .

Diplomatic documentation is an integral and essential part of diplomacy as the main instrument of a state’s foreign policy. Any diplomatic document, therefore, is first and foremost a “state paper”. An official diplomatic document is used to judge, first of all, not only the foreign policy of the state, but also the professionalism of the diplomatic service, the coherence and training of the state apparatus as a whole.

Diplomatic correspondence is conducted between sovereign states, other full-fledged subjects of international law and their authorized representatives. It requires strict consideration of the legal equality of partners, mutual respect and correctness. It is these principles that determine the constructiveness of international relations, regular and meaningful multilateral communication between sovereign states, and the high effectiveness of diplomacy.

Official correspondence at the diplomatic level is distinguished from ordinary official office work by compliance with a number of special norms of international law, protocol requirements, as well as established customs and traditions. Deviation from generally accepted norms in diplomatic correspondence, and even more so, ignoring them, can be perceived not only as evidence of a low culture of office work, but also as a manifestation of disrespect for the recipient country. There is hardly another area of ​​official paperwork in which, as in diplomacy, the internal relationship between the semantic content of a document, its external form and technical execution would be so clearly visible.

Diplomatic documents may differ from each other in their content, purpose and protocol features. Their style is influenced by traditions, linguistic, historical and cultural characteristics of individual countries. However, from the point of view of formal construction, what is called document architecture, they all follow the traditional scheme and include a number of elements (details) that are of a constant, unchanging nature. Let's look at some of them.

Appeal. It indicates the position or official title of the addressee. For example: Dear Mr. President, Dear Mr. Minister, Dear Mr. Ambassador or Envoy. The address may also contain an honorary title (title) of the addressee. For example: Your Excellency Mr. Ambassador.

When addressing clergy, the following forms are used: to the Pope and patriarchs: Your Holiness; to the metropolitans: Your Eminence; to the cardinals: Your Eminence, Mr. Cardinal; to archbishops and bishops: Your Eminence (in English-speaking countries to the archbishop: Your Grace and to the bishop Your Grace); to clergy and priests without indicating the official title: monsignor or (in English speaking countries) Your Reverence.

When contacting the Grand Master of the Order of Malta (the full name of the Order is the Sovereign Military Order of Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and Malta); Russia maintains official relations with the Order) adhere to the following titles: His Highness the Prince and Grand Master.

Compliments. These are expressions of politeness that begin and/or end a letter, message, note or any other document. Compliments may vary depending on the nature of the correspondence. They, for example, can be as follows: at the beginning of a message, personal note or letter of a semi-official nature, addressed to the head of state, government, chairman of parliament, minister of foreign affairs, ambassadors or other officials of equal position or rank: I have the honor; in conclusion: I ask you (position indicated) to accept the assurances of my highest respect for you. In relation to deputy ministers, directors of departments, if they do not have the personal rank of ambassador, chargé d'affaires, envoys, advisers to envoys, consuls general and other persons of equal position, a compliment is applied in the form: in my highest respect.

In cases of intergovernmental correspondence, the following compliment is used: “The Government of the Russian Federation shows its respect.” In personal correspondence of a semi-official nature, such forms of compliments as “With deep respect”, “With respect”, “Sincerely yours” can also be used.

The main subject content of the document. It consists of a semantic core, including factual content and an argumentative part. The subject content of the document, with all the conventions of such a division, can be qualified, for example, according to the following categories: information about planned or ongoing actions of international significance; presentation of a political or international legal position on a particular issue; putting forward specific proposals; statement of protest or expression of concern; formalization of an agreement or degree of agreement reached.

Signature. A personal signature certifies the document and follows immediately after the final compliment. The signature must be legible. If the letter is written on official or personal letterhead, then the surname of the person who signed it is usually not printed.

Traditional protocol formulas: addressing the person to whom the document is addressed, expressing respect to the addressee at the beginning of the document and a final compliment at the end are used not only in official correspondence of a diplomatic nature, but also in other official documents related to correspondence of an international nature. Such correspondence, in particular, includes official correspondence of ministries and departments of the Russian Federation with ministries and departments of other countries within the powers granted to them, as well as international correspondence of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and their official bodies on issues of international and foreign economic relations in accordance with federal law“On the coordination of international and foreign economic relations of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.”

The fundamental changes that have occurred in modern diplomacy, the establishment of openness and publicity in it, the democratization of its methods, and the increasing role of international organizations have only partially affected traditional forms of diplomatic correspondence. But the protocol formulas - the rules, traditions and conventions adopted when drawing up documents of an international nature - have remained virtually unchanged.

As before, the most important documents of diplomatic correspondence include:

Notes (verbal and personal);

Memoirs;

Memoranda;

Statements, messages and letters at the level of government leadership (heads of state and government, heads of foreign affairs agencies);

Semi-official correspondence (personal letters of a semi-official nature).

Musical correspondence traditionally remains the most common form of official relations between diplomatic missions and diplomatic departments in the host country. Their topics cover a wide range of issues related to relations between states: foreign policy, economics, culture, parliamentary relations, preparation of bilateral agreements, exchanges of visits by representatives of both countries, etc., as well as specific issues related to the functioning of diplomatic missions.

Verbal note. The specificity of a note verbale is that it comes directly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a foreign mission. The text is written in the third person and is not signed, which is believed to further emphasize its official nature. In a number of countries, it is customary to initial a note verbale. In this case, the corresponding mark is made at the end of the final paragraph of the note text.

The text of a verbal note is printed on a special printed sheet of music. The note verbally includes a serial number, date, and the sender and place of sending. In all cases, the note verbale is sealed with the official seal of the relevant institution - the ministry or embassy.

The usual initial formula of a note verbale is as follows: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation expresses its respect to the Embassy (the full name of the country follows) and has the honor to inform it (the text follows).” The verbal note ends with a traditional compliment: “The Ministry (or Embassy) takes this opportunity to once again demonstrate its respect to the Embassy.” The final compliment of the note, if it contains any request, takes the following form: “The Ministry thanks the Embassy in advance for satisfying this request.”

The address in all cases is printed in the lower left corner of the first page of the note verbale. The same address is also printed on the envelope in which the note verbale is sent.

Personal note. This document is addressed to a specific person and is written in the first person on behalf of the signatory of the note. Personal notes are sent to government officials, other officials of the host country, colleagues in the diplomatic corps, including on various protocol issues: congratulations on national holidays, other important events in public life, as well as in cases where it is desirable to emphasize a special interest in a particular issue. In terms of design, a personal message and a personal note, except for addressing in the first person, are similar to a verbal note: they are printed on a sheet of music on special paper with the state emblem of the Russian Federation embossed on the first page of the message or note. The name of the city and the date of departure (day, month and year) are displayed in the upper right corner. The text of a personal message or note is followed by the personal signature of the person sending the message. It is not customary to print the name and position of the person signing the message. There is no stamp on a personal note. The original personal note does not include the outgoing number.

The most common forms of address adopted in personal notes are: “Dear Mr. Minister”, “Mr. Ambassador”, “Your Excellency”. The compliment that ends the text of a personal note usually looks like this: “I ask you (position indicated) to accept the assurances of my highest respect for you.”

In a message and in a personal note, the address is written in the lower left corner of the first page, regardless of the number of pages of text. The address consists of the title, then the first and last name, the full official position of this person, the full official (constitutional) name of the country and its capital. The same address is printed on the envelope in which the personal note or letter is sent.

The specifics of musical correspondence using verbal and personal notes could be illustrated using the example of preparing negotiations with the conclusion of a bilateral agreement with the participation of the Russian Federation.

The forms of diplomatic activity are extremely diverse: visits, establishing contacts and conducting conversations, holding negotiations, searching and collecting information, information and explanatory work. But all these forms, or the absolute majority of them, are sent to the final and most crucial stage of diplomatic activity - the preparation of diplomatic documents, which takes up more than half the time of diplomats working in foreign missions, and even more in the central office.

Diplomatic correspondence- one of the conservative areas of diplomatic practice, and therefore requires compliance with a number of traditional rules of diplomatic protocol (complementarity, forms of politeness, language). These rules have been developed over thousands of years, and free deviation from these seemingly archaic forms can lead to undesirable consequences, even aggravation of relations.

The preparation of diplomatic documents, diplomatic correspondence can be divided into two main blocks - official and personal diplomatic correspondence with representatives of foreign states and intradepartmental correspondence with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other state and public organizations of their country.

So, the documents of diplomatic correspondence are:

Personal (signature) notes

Verbal notes

Private letters of a semi-official nature;

Memoirs;

Memoranda;

Statements.

Documents of foreign diplomatic correspondence

When preparing these documents, you need to remember the most important thing - we are talking about communication between states and governments, equal subjects of international law, and any humiliation of the rights, dignity, prestige of another sovereign state is absolutely unacceptable.

The most common documents of diplomatic correspondence were and remain personal and verbal notes.

A personal note is sent from critical issues and includes information about an event of particular political importance (for example, a change government system, formalized agreements on one or another important issue of bilateral relations). The ambassador or envoy who presented his credentials to the head of the host state also informs his colleagues in the diplomatic corps about this by means of a personal note.

A personal note is used to inform about the temporary or final departure of the head of a diplomatic mission from the country, for, in the representation of the charge d'affaires, sent in response to the received personal note. IN Lately, especially in connection with the increase in the number of diplomatic missions, verbal notes are used to transmit this type of information.

A personal note is written in the form of a letter, in the first person on behalf of the person signing it. It is printed on the appropriate sheet music with the state emblem and the signature underneath it “Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine” or “Embassy of Ukraine in... (name of country).” The generally accepted format for sheet music is a double left margin of the main text.

A personal note begins with an address, the most common forms of which are: “Your Excellency”, “Dear Mr. Minister”, “Dear Mr. Ambassador”. This form of address should set the one who receives the note to a friendly attitude towards the content. What follows is a statement of the essence of the issue; the text, as a rule, begins with the words “I have the honor.” In a personal note containing sympathy or protest, the words “I have the honor” are omitted. The personal note ends with a compliment (a form of politeness) in which the author expresses his respect:

Personal notes from diplomatic representatives of individual states may end differently, namely: “With deep respect,” “C,” “Sincerely yours.” In a reply note, in order of reciprocity, it is advisable to accept the same compliments, because a change in the compliment may be regarded by the recipient as having a certain meaning.

The text of the personal note is signed by the person on whose behalf it refers. The seal, name and position of the person signing the note are not required.

The address is written in the lower left corner of the first page of the note, regardless of the number of pages. The address indicates the rank of the person to whom the note is sent

In some cases, depending on local practice and on the basis of mutual respect, the title may be used before the name of the person to whom the note is addressed

The envelope contains the same address as the personal note.