Courtesy call

[3] Fulfilling this protocol obligation is a time consuming task, with one diplomat noting it took him five months to complete a round in Washington DC.

Diplomatic personnel are split on the value of courtesy calls, some seeing them as a time wasting tradition while others see them as a means to secure a valuable introduction.

In some cases, it is possible to arrange a joint courtesy call by visiting a senior ambassador who will, by prearrangement, assemble his regional colleagues for the meeting.

In Western democracies, ambassadors will pay calls to leaders of minor and major opposition parties as a change of government may occur at a future point.

Calls to civic dignitaries of major cities, newspaper editors, and trade unions are also performed.