ABSTRACT
Concepts and principles play an important role in diplomatic thinking – they are at the centre of a diplomat’s toolbox. We start by stating their respective roles in diplomatic practice. Concepts are instruments we use in political analysis, they allow us to ‘conceive’ of a given situation, to understand it, to get to grips with it. They have a descriptive character. Principles are different. They are guides for action. They have a prescriptive character. Concepts help us telling ‘what’ the situation is, principles tell us ‘how’ to act on it. Concepts and principles should not be seen as immutable entities, but as flexible instruments in analysis and decision-making that can be adjusted or revisited to fit diplomatic practice. We distinguish between political, security, and diplomatic concepts and give a short description of each, with occasional comments and examples showing their application. We then move on to principles distinguishing legal from diplomatic principles. The first are closely linked to international law, while the latter have emerged from diplomatic practice.
