All fifty-five of Sri Lanka’s ambassadors, high commissioners, consulars and permanent representatives have been summoned to Colombo for a meeting this week during which they will be briefed about the government’s new policies—and warned that they will lose their jobs unless they show results.

The diplomats will gather at the Hotel Galadari (where most of them will also stay) during the "Conference of Heads of Missions" from October 4-6. President Mahinda Rajapakse, whose idea it had been to organise such a large gathering, is also due to address them as are advisors, experts, heads of departments and leading officials. Treasury Secretary P. B. Jayasundere will talk on investment priorities and economic prerogatives.

The event has raised eyebrows in some quarters over the estimated cost. "I am told that no other foreign service, not even the US, has such a global meeting of their envoys," one political analyst noted, requesting anonymity. "They all do it at a regional level."

The late Lakshman Kadirgamar had these meetings at regional level, he noted: "For instance, when he was in Europe, he summoned all the envoys in the region for a meeting at a European capital. Likewise in Asia and North America."

Foreign ministry sources defended the expenditure, however, saying that it had proved more cost-effective to bring everyone to Sri Lanka in a large group since cheaper transport and accommodation deals became available.

"The decision to hold this meeting was made after a long debate`85 we weighed the pros and cons," one senior official said. "If we can implement what is discussed at the conference, the returns will be good."

Meanwhile, authoritative sources said that some diplomats are likely to get a lashing after investigations revealed they had been underperforming. The foreign ministry has prepared a report card of successes and failures. "Basically, performance audits and assessments were done by a committee," one of these sources said. "This committee found that, while many heads of missions had done commendable work, the performance of some was disgraceful. The popular belief that career diplomats were better than political appointees has also been disproved."

The committee found, too, that the Foreign Service was largely cash strapped. There was no money or resources for anything outside of basic operational work. "There aren’t enough funds to even pay salaries," the source divulged. "Many missions were badly handicapped. The computers in some missions were broken. Others had no photocopying machines. Unlike the Tamil diaspora, the government’s network of missions is faced with tremendous challenges."

These will be among the issues discussed at the conference which will be opened by President Rajapakse. "The president wanted to convey his perceptions, policies and directions in a direct dialogue with the heads of missions," a foreign ministry official said. "There is also a new emphasis on the peace process different from the past. The conference will address security and peace concerns, development priorities in rural areas as well as consular affairs and changing economic strategies."

Diplomats will be provided the opportunity to express themselves and brainstorm with their counterparts in other countries. There will be panel discussions. The role of the diaspora and the image of the country abroad will be discussed.

Diplomats are likely to be advised that conventional diplomacy was not sufficient to counteract LTTE propaganda abroad. They will also be told that there is now a "new approach to peacemaking". "It is no longer the appeasement policy of past but a policy of calibrated responses," the official said. "It is not feasible for either side to continue with military options and external conditions are conducive for the LTTE to return to talks."