US Ambassador

[Sheilbh]

Don't agree with this at all. Yes, the foreigners will take the trouble to speak English to the US diplomat when they want something from him. But the US' interests will not be best served if the jaw-jaw turns to Arabic and the American diplomats can't keep up.

I'm reading 'Guests of the Ayatollah' at the minute.  At the time of the Tehran Embassy siege (when non-essential personal had been removed) only 5 members of the staff spoke Farsi and none of the attached CIA officers did.

[Monoriu]

Do Ambassadors usually know the language of the country they are sent to?

It is a plus.  But not a requirement.

[Josquius]

Do Ambassadors usually know the language of the country they are sent to?

The last US ambassador to Germany didn't speak a word of German.

Ouch, that's qutie embarassing. Fair enough if its the ambassador to Slovakia or something but German and Germany is quite a different level there....

[Grey Fox]

Does it matter? Language of diplomacy use to be french, probably English nowadays.

Speak English & your set.

[Savonarola]

It's the same over here. You are supposed to apply to the Corpo Diplomático, wish is a branch of our Foreign Business Ministry (direct translation). It seems like a nice career and one I will be trying to persue.

Unfortunately each year there are more than 1100 applicants to just 30 entrances, so it's quite difficult to enter.

That's one way to do it.  In America we based our bureaucracy on the wise teachings of WS Gilbert:

Now landsmen all, whomever you may be
If you want to rise to the top of the tree
If you're soul isn't fettered to an office stool
Be careful to be guided by this golden rule:
"Stick close to your desks, and never go to sea
And you all may be rules of the Queen's Navy."