Diplomats should communicate in ordinary way: Khurshid

New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) Ordinary people must be spoken to in an ordinary way to improve international relations and strengthen human bonds, says External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.

“I think the world is full of ordinary people and the way to speak to the world is like an ordinary person,” Khurshid told IANS on the margins of the launch of diplomat−writer Navtej Sarna’s new anthology of short stories, “Winter Evenings”, Tuesday evening.

“This book is about the ‘aam admi’ (the common man). The term ‘aam admi’ has been so misused….. Why is it that we can’t write more in this ordinary way in our foreign service, “ he said, adding he was deliberately being provocative about the tribe whose ministry he had just taken over.

Khurshid was perhaps alluding to the euphemistic and abstract language that is the hallmark of international diplomatese.

“A lot of our relations would have improved if they would have send out their message like Sarna did, so simply, so colourfully,” Khurshid said amidst laughter at the event organised at Hotel Diplomat and attended by the capital’s elite, including many diplomats.

The flavour of the “book is so ordinary”. It is this quality which sets the book apart, Khurshid said.

The book published by Rupa & Co was released by Sharmila Tagore. Sarna, who was till recently India’s ambassador to Israel, is now additional secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.

IANS 2012-11-27 22:21:20