Dear Minister
of Trade,
I would like to invite you to explore with me the mutual
benefits of a free trade agreement between the U.S. and Newland. A free trade
agreement between our two countries would provide considerable trade and economic
opportunities for both Newland and U.S. exporters, importers, manufacturers,
workers and farmers.
Newland is already a strong trading partner,
but there is clearly a potential for considerable growth in our relationship.
A free trade agreement would give us a framework to improve the business climate
in Newland and the U.S. It would also give each country greater access to
a strong market, and encourage investment.
I would welcome the opportunity
to meet you at your earliest convenience to explore the idea of a free trade
agreement between our two countries.
In the interim, please accept
my very best wishes,
Sincerely,
Ambassador _________
Ambassadors
spend a great deal of time communicating with people from different cultural
and linguistic backgrounds. They must have excellent communication skills
and be very careful what they say and how they say it.
"You're dealing
often with people whose English... skills may be very high, but in many cases,
it's a third language for them, so you have to be very sensitive to understanding
what the other person is hearing," says David Hutton, a former ambassador.
"That requires cultural sensitivity, as well as linguistic sensitivity, empathy
and listening skills. Communication is not what's being said, it's what's
being heard. And that, often, is the reason for huge misunderstandings."
Strong
writing skills are essential, says Heather Hodges. She's the U.S. ambassador
to Ecuador. "If people can't write, frankly, I think it's very hard for them
to move forward in the foreign service because they only end up with their
supervisors redrafting everything that they wrote."