German Ambassador Gudrun Steinacker lectured within the Diplomatic Lectures Series of the “Max van der Stoel” Institute

Ambassador Steinacker explained that bilateral diplomacy in Europe is decreasing while taking into account pronounced and growing role of multilateral institutions and mechanisms of multilateral diplomacy. As result of this has come to the evaluation of the diplomatic profession in growing functions of multilateral diplomacy for contemporary diplomats. Also in the case of Macedonia, bilateral diplomacy seems to be replaced by multilateral diplomacy especially when we take in consideration the aspirations for EU integration.

In front of numerous students and scholars of the SEEU, the German Ambassador Steinacker said that bilateral diplomacy is not over but it takes in function a new task facing the challenges of time and the increase of the multilateral diplomacy. Bilateral diplomacy is implemented by the embassies in order to take as more information on the host country associated with several segments.

In her speech she noted that it’s "the right way for countries like Macedonia is to focus on multilateralism, because this kind of diplomacy offers a range of options for the smaller countries."

The tendency to be focused more on multilateral cooperation is a big advantage in front bilateral diplomacy for the small countries.

German Ambassador suggested students to be more active in society and to find always constructive solutions and to not expect continually from politicians because everyone has the opportunity to make a choice through election, to be active in civil society and also in their profession.

In his introductory speech the Director of the SEEU’s Scientific Institute "Max van der Stoel," Prof. Dr. Veton Latifi, noted that the German diplomacy commitment seems to pretend in continuity to redefine the multilateral institutions of the international diplomatic system.

“This can be noticed at the orientation of the bilateral and multilateral German diplomacy itself in terms of redefining the role of the international organizations in relation to the Balkan region and permanent intention for reforming and strengthening the multilateral dimension of the EU, NATO and UN in relation to the challenges and risks of the international security.” said Prof. Dr. Latifi.