National power is the sum of the capabilities of a country to implement successfully its foreign policy, even when policies are opposed by other states or need the cooperation of other states. Power is dynamic, objective and subjective, and both relative and situational. Power and diplomacy are often linked. That said, diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations among states. It is really a communication process, including transmitting information, intentions, and persuasion (a form of power). Former United States Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger once called diplomacy "the art of restraining power." General rules of diplomacy include whether contacts should be direct or indirect and also includes what level of contact the interaction should involve, as well as how precise or vague messages should be. When states participate in diplomacy, leaders also must consider whether to communicate by message or deed, whether policy issues should be linked or separated during diplomatic negotiations, and also how important the dispute really is. Preparation In preparation for this assessment, use the Resources provided (or others you find) to research world diplomatic negotiations and determine the goals and reasons behind them. It is also important to understand how negotiations occur and the purpose of them. Then, choose a foreign policy issue to research. Answer the following: What are the goal and mission of the foreign policy? Give a brief summary. What is, or was, the nature of those negotiations? What is, or was, the purpose? Do they affect economic competition and cooperation? Does the foreign policy address human rights or environmental issues? Who is, or was, involved? Has technology affected how negotiations have occurred? How might this specific topic affect you directly? What additional questions could you ask about the topic and the negotiations?