A significant amount of time, which is meant for diplomatic purposes, is wasted due to lobbying for visas and providing protocol to the ‘very important persons’ (VIP) like politicians, ministers, lawmakers and senior bureaucrats, former and serving senior diplomats have told The Independent. The time of the officials of the foreign ministry in the capital is wasted for visa lobbying while diplomats stationed in the country’s missions abroad have to waste their time providing protocol to the VIPs, they said.
As a result, they added that ‘valuable time meant for diplomacy’ is wasted. Lobbying for visas ‘negatively’ affect the diplomatic negotiations with the countries concerned, according to the officials of the foreign ministry.
“Most of the VIPs think that the foreign ministry’s job is only to obtain visas for others and the job of our missions abroad is to provide protocol. These people even cannot think that the job of the foreign ministry and missions abroad is to conduct diplomatic activities for the betterment of the country,” a retired secretary of the foreign ministry with vast experience said with apparent dismay.
The officials concerned of the foreign ministry have to lobby for visas mainly for the countries like United States, Canada, Australia, European nations, Thailand and India.
“It’s really frustrating to continuously request for granting visas for our VIPs.
It never feels good to request somebody for something. We try to accommodate the demands of our VIPs of getting visas.
But, on many occasions, they ask us to do get the things done in a very limited time which makes our life even more difficult,” said a senior diplomat at the foreign ministry.
“We don’t mind to request any
mission here to expedite the visa procedure if the visit is official. But, we have to do it even for private visits,” said another diplomat.
“This scenario makes us somewhat
weak when we sit together with other countries to negotiate important issues concerning the benefits of the country,” he said.
“Look, I am simply tired of this practice. Even, our foreign secretary is frustrated. I have once heard him say that I (foreign secretary) am actually a visa agent. This must stop. But, you know the reality of the country,” said another diplomat.
“Where is the time for diplomacy brother? I and my colleagues always remain busy with providing protocol to the VIPs,” said an ambassador stationed at a south- east Asian country.
“I don’t have any problem to provide necessary protocol as well as assistance if the visits are for official purposes. But, it does not feel right to sacrifice diplomatic time as well as facilities like cars for somebody who came to the country for private business,” he said.
“It has become a harsh reality. Sometimes, I get confused about
the job descriptions of the diplomats stationed abroad. I ask myself if my principal job is to engage more and more with the host country to enhance trade, commerce, etc. or to provide protocol to VIPs. Here, I am not talking about those who come on official visits,” said another ambassador.