Remembering a Diplomat Who Stood for Decency, Education and Civility
By C. Naseer Ahmad
Washington, DC
Recent events around the world have highlighted both the perils and promises that diplomacy offers. The drama unfolding in Ukraine serves an exemplar of the risks when diplomacy is misused for narrow political errands and even risk to the reputation of high profile diplomats and perhaps the personal security of a seasoned professional diplomat. Quite contrary to this situation, the quiet behind the scene Swiss diplomacy - about which the world might learn more in times to come - averted a violent conflict spiral out of control.
“What do Diplomats do?” The North Eastern University addresses this question to inspire prospective students interested in pursuing a noble profession. “A diplomat’s duties include creating and maintaining strong international ties related to peacekeeping, war, trade, economics, culture, environmental issues, or human rights,” states the North Eastern University’s website.
During their tours of duty, diplomats engage their counterparts in capital cities in distant corners of the world. The diplomats often also interact with civil society and with students to inform them about policies and programs of the governments they represent.
Recently, before meeting an ambassador for lunch in downtown Washington, Ms Anne Howard-Tristanti reflected on her memories how one of the most distinguished diplomats of the world, the late Sahibzada Yaqub Khan, inspired her during the earlier part of her career. Anne remembers her meetings with Ambassador Yaqub Khan, between 1974-1975, saying “how very much the Ambassador impressed me not only with his diplomatic skills but also with his broad intellectual interests.” She recalls his “detailed academic knowledgeon topics as diverse as Karl Marx's theory of the Asiatic Mode of Production”, which Anne happened to be studying at Georgetown University Graduate School at the time she met Ambassador Yaqub Khan.
A lasting impression Anne recalls was "Ambassador Khan's genuine interest in my graduate school studies as well as his inquiries about my impressions and what I had learned from on my first visit to the Soviet Union in January 1974, during our meeting, was something I will never forget.”
As a young professional working on Capitol Hill and pursuing her Master’s Degree in Political Science, at night, the Ambassador impressed upon Anne the importance of studying differing political philosophies as well as understanding different economic and political systems around the world. Such an interest shown by an experienced senior diplomat is worth more than the customary small talk at diplomatic receptions like the one where she first met Ambassador Khan. Ambassador Khan was not just kind and decent to a young student like Anne but also inspired her to broaden her horizons and to dig deeper in understanding more “about the diverse and rich cultures and histories of countries around the world.”
The gracious words of wisdom from a seasoned diplomat led to a highly successful career and the desire to continuously contribute for Anne. Having served at a senior executive position in the Carter Administration and congressional committees, she now serves on the National Advisory Board of the National Museum of African Art of the Smithsonian Institution; the Board of Directors of The Embassy Series; the Advisory Council of the United Nations Association of the National Capitol Area (UNA/NCA) and the Advisory Council of the Washington Opera Society.
The guidance Anne, niece of the late US Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, experienced was not for her alone but the author recalls having received similar interest from Ambassador Khan when he was part of the delegation of graduate students who had just arrived in the United States in the 1970s.
The late Ambassador Sahibzada Yaqub Khan distinguished himself as a diplomat. Not only did he help defuse the hostage crisis in Washington, while serving as Pakistan’s representative in US but also during his stint as “Foreign Minister played a major role in Soviet interventioninAfghanistan(1979–89) and took part in negotiations to end theContrasinNicaragua (1981–87) on behalf of theUnited Nations." He also served as an official of the United Nations for Western Sahara. As a diplomat, he served as an ambassador in France, US and the Soviet Union.
Ambassador Khan’s ability to impart knowledge and wisdom was facilitated by his earlier experience as a military commander and the governor of a large province in his native country Pakistan.” He was known to be an unusual military officer who knew very well of ‘limits of force’,:and did not believe in the use of brute force to settle political disputes.”
In order for any diplomat to be effective, the communication skills and the mastery of languages is essential. Ambassador Khan was known to be proficient in seven global languages including Bengali, English, French, German, Italian and Russian.
William Safire, the New York Times Op-Ed Columnist and a language maven, noted Ambassador Khan’s erudition and acknowledged his command of the English language after learning that the ambassador “used a word I never heard before.” In 1999, Mr Safire, described Ambassador Khan and the “most skillful diplomat in the world today.”
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