An experience-sharing seminar dedicated to the discussion of practices and lessons of international negotiations took place for the students of Leadership Development Program on June 3, 2011. Andriy Veselovsky, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine, Ambassador at Large of the Department of Foreign Economic Cooperation of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine hosted the event, which took place as a part of training sessions dedicated to the art of negotiation within the Leadership Development Program 2011.
The presentation dwelled on the different types of negotiations, particularly, on trade, political, military, security, contractual and legal negotiations, as well as on the important components of concluding strategic partnerships that are expexted to be based on common goals.
Mr. Veselovsky stressed upon the need of significant preparatory work - the study of regional context, the market, the sphere of activity, etc. This, in its turn, calls for involving staff representatives of Ukraine in other states in order to obtain the necessary information and to know the state of affairs not only in the country, which the negotiations are conducted with, but also in Ukraine in corresponding spheres/areas. In addition, the expert underlined that it is worth learning about practices/approaches to the given issue in other countries, and especially in the neighboring countries and countries-partners of those countries, which negotiations are conducted with.
One of the recommendations, given to the participants of the seminar, concerned the necessity of establishing the atmosphere of trust among the negotiators and underlined the key role of communication of the parties in the process of negotiation (especially – informal communication between the negotiators and consultancy.) Answering the question of the students of the Leadership Development Program 2011 about the main taboos during the process of negotiation, Mr. Veselovsky informed that it is highly important to avoid the following mistakes: considering the other party to be ignorant about the issue of negotiations and not to have the full information; suggesting your own variant of solution to be the only right way; expressing hubris or arrogance; being sarcastic, etc. The most crucial thing for the negotiator is to be acknowledged with the current situation in order to be able to defend national interests, to be consequent and have in command sufficient and logically organized arguments.
The participants of the seminar were also interested in the applicable mechanisms of quality control during the negotiations. As far as the practical experience is concerned, the best controller is the feedback and the reaction of those, whose interests are influenced by the results of the negotiations. Besides, open discussion process (though not necessarily public) is the integral component of the effective negotiations.
This seminar was the first communicative event in the framework of the Leadership Development Program: Administrative Reform 2011 aimed at professional development of the Senior Civil Service. During the uear it is planned to conduct two more events of this format.
Additional information about the speaker:
Andrij Veselovsky is one of the leading Ukrainian diplomats. Mr. Veselovsky has working experience in such countries as Algiers and Canada. He worked as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine in Egypt, combining this work with the position of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine in Kenya (2 years) and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine in Sudan (4 years.) In 2005-2008 he became Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, in 2008-2010 - Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the EU. Mr. Veselovsky is the author of more than 100 articles.
