The Foreign Service Journal, January 2003

France, Japan, Russia, China and the European Union; emerging states Hungary, Slovenia and Latvia; and developing countries Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya, Mexico, Senegal, South Africa, and Vietnam. Focus will be on the structure, functioning and meth- ods of foreign ministries, and their operational efficiency. By focusing on performance, project coordinators hope to be able to carry out bench- marking and identification of best practices, a kind of comparative exam- ination not ordinarily carried out by MFAs. A May 2003 symposium is planned for contributors to the coun- try-study part of the project. The statistical survey centers on an Internet-based questionnaire. Res- pondents will be integrated into a broad interactive forum where Diplo will share the results of the statistical study and exchange ideas with survey participants. DiploProjects is based at the Mediterranean Academy of Diplo- matic Studies at the University of Malta, and is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Individual projects are also supported by the European Union, the United Nations Development Program, the Com- monwealth Secretariat, the Euro- pean Free Trade Association, and the U.S. Institute for Peace. C Y B E R N O T E S 50 Years Ago About the greatest surprise to me was the live and sympathetic interest displayed when the influence of McCarthyism on the political reporting of Foreign Service officers was touched upon. That a reporting officer might eventually be led to play it safe and to keep unorthodox thoughts and observations to himself, struck all as a real danger of which they had not been aware. — FSO Martin F. Herz, commenting on ten days of home leave spent as a reporter on a small-town newspaper, in “Bedford, Indiana Perspective,” FSJ , Jan. 1953. 14 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 3 • One & two BR apartment homes • Control access entrances • Beautiful lounges with fireplace • Library, art studio, game room, movie theater • Chauffered activities • Hair salon on site • Social & recreational activities • Dining room w/ optional meal program Call or Stop By For Information 301-926-0696 A SENIOR APARTMENT COMMUNITY for independent living at its finest-comfort, quality and convenience. 217 Booth Street, Gaithersburg, MD 20878 Off of Great Seneca Highway