Harry Enfield

"The Ambassador was summoned. "

It is one of those lines, could we here Every Day at the BBC. So please excuse if we have never explained what That actually means.

What does The Process involve? What does it achieve? Is it really so serious? We spoke with four summoned The Ambassador to ask.

In August of 2015, three journalists from the al-Jazeera network were convicted and sentenced to prison in Egypt for "spreading false news". Outside court, Mr Casson, voice condemn in The Egyptian television in Arabic to the phrase.

Soon after, uses it is one of The Few diplomatic tools, a host has, if it wants to make its anger felt in Another Country .

"I need to be told by the Ministry of foreign Affairs and was, 'We to see you immediately,'" Mr. Casson says the BBC. "The First thing she said was, 'We will not summon you, But we tell The Press we are summon. If it was a Summoning , we would have sent a formal diplomatic note, you summon. '"

This is not to participate will be sent the way things work normally in a Summoning - a formal, polite, diplomatic note, to ask the relevant message - But really demanding and his representatives to a meeting at The Foreign Ministry , or the equivalent. The Medium of Summoning is not allowed in the Embassy, Mr Casson.

"The main thing is That it is a piece of diplomatic Theater, and each, their role and did their role," Mr Casson, who was in Cairo between 2014 and 2018. In London, you can understand the drama That will involve waiting in The Grand surroundings of The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to the seriousness of the occasion.

"The interesting question," Mr Casson asks, "is That , if the theatre is, who is The Audience ?"

In this case, he says, The Audience was The Egyptian public, who needed you to understand, your government is fighting against alleged foreign interference in their judiciary.

But summonings itself is unlikely to be The Ambassador 's country change your approach, Mr Casson said. "It's not completely Useless - it's a way of saying, 'Let's not build up a head of Steam . "It is a symbol of serious political will, But not on its own - it must be backed up by other things. The government does not think 'crumbs'. "

Mr. Fujisaki , a former Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations , also served as its representative in Washington between 2008 and 2012.

In December 2009, he was called by US Secretary of state Hillary Clinton. This was remarkable for two reasons: this is something That the US state department has often, and Japan is a close ally of the USA, so unlikely to be the subject of the incantation. The Washington Post reported That Hillary Clinton was "blunt, if diplomatic," with Mr. Fujisaki .

"It was more of says unusual," Mr. Fujisaki . "But I thought the American Government wanted to get their message across fairly quickly. "

The Message was about the plans for a relocation of US military base in Okinawa. There was only one problem: the new Japanese Prime Minister , Yukio Hatoyama , in contrast to the details of the movement. And so, Mr. Fujisaki was called to The State department in The Middle of a snow storm, when all the other government buildings were closed, to hear Mrs. Clinton's view: the military base has been moved to the end of the story.

Although Mr. Fujisaki was widely reported, was summoned, he denies the use of the word and says, no one used in the diplomatic service. "An evocation of the sounds, you are obliged to be there, it is more legal certainty," he says. "In this case, the government asks you to be there, it is a requirement. "

Mr. Fujisaki , says The Ambassador to speak must, to his government at home, so That you learn not to, the convening of the meeting by the media. The government at home would you react then, shortly, The Ambassador on The Most appropriate way and what points should you make.

Ambassador summoned in unfavourable circumstances, as, if, as many were away for Christmas.

So Mr Fujisaki trip made across a town in a snow storm a way to harass him, and the strengthening of The State Department for the disaster? He does not say.

Mr Beckingham can only be summoned by The Ambassador , of his hosts a TV comedy sketch.

In 2008, the BBC show Harry and Paul showed a sketch in which one character encourages another to "mount" a Filipina maid. and was as "perfectly scandalous" and "tasteless".

Cue The Summoning of the Philippines Foreign Minister Alberto Romulo . "I knew him very well," says Mr Beckingham, who is now retired. "We had played golf, on one occasion, and we were to each other's homes.

"I think That he probably knew That the BBC was a completely separate organisation, which was felt by The British government, But he, he had to object representations via the. It was a completely civil conversation, and I remember we spent more time talking about The British history and politics, of which he knew a lot.

"not then issued a pretty stern press release, which I believe was The Conversation we had. But That was The Point of this Exercise -That they say they have the government against The British . "

Mr Bocka, Albanian Ambassador in Belgrade since 2014, is in an unusual position: he once rejected a convene of his host country.

Four months into his ambassadorship, Albania 's football team travelled to Serbia for the Euro 2016 qualifying match. About 40 Minutes , carrying an Albanian nationalist Flag .

A brawl broke out, and The Match was canceled. Soon after, Mr Bocka a demarche to Serbia's foreign Ministry to visit a polite request for him, rather than an order.

"This is The Most common type of diplomacy is done," Mr Bocka, the BBC says. "You will be asked to leave, in General, to the Director, and you have to hear what you have to say, and at the same time, you have The Right to Express their position. "

A year later, it was a different story. Before The Return match in Albania 's capital Tirana, the Serbian team bus was hit by stones pelted and Windows. Cue The Summoning , and a boost of diplomatic pressure.

"you asked me once to the Ministry of foreign Affairs, But I said no," Mr, said Bocka. He did not feel worthy of stoning of a bus, That his Summoning . "I knew what was happening: nothing! It was 22:00, I said: 'maybe tomorrow', But you wanted to this story on the TV, so I said: 'no, I'm not coming'. I told them I would not play this game. "

Mr Bocka recognizes how rare it is That an Ambassador is not to reject, a Summoning of his host country, and the refusal was without consequences. Several months later, he was disinvited from the Ministry of foreign Affairs events, even while his employees continue to work unhindered.

But he stayed in his job, and four years later, on good relations with his hosts again. "Our Relations have been damaged, for a moment," he says. "But now? It is OK. "

Source of news: bbc.com