More than a Star Turn: Canadian Hybrid Diplomacy and the OAS Mission to Peru

In: International journal / Canadian Institute of International Affairs, Band 56, Heft 2, S. 279-296

Abstract

Documentation of contemporary Canadian diplomacy compares the respective impacts of foreign ministers Lloyd Axworthy & Lester Pearson. Differences in approaches to defense & security are noted, highlighting Axworthy's unprecedented inclusion of "civil society." An extensive review of modern Canadian interactions with Peru is provided. Axworthy's mission to Peru with the Organization of the American States (OAS) shows the diplomat's timely & effective utilization of vigor & enthusiasm. Ways in which Axworthy's style merged with Pearson's more traditional approach are shown. The author examines the extent to which the Peru mission affected political vs public relations. Also considered are the parameters of collective & interventionist actions, "the mantra of facilitation" in Peru's volatile political landscape, & the factors allowing Axworthy's relatively independent stride into Peruvian policy. Axworthy's performance is examined & related to the significance of this OAS project & recent perceptions of Canadian diplomacy. M. C. Leary