The Editor's Page.

• Author: Smith, Raymond F.

I plan to use this page primarily to introduce the articles in the current issue. I am going to digress a bit in this issue, however, since it is my first as editor, to thank my predecessor and introduce myself.

Bea Campbell has edited this journal for the past 5 years. During her tenure, she sought out new writers, expanded the journal's readership, and maintained a consistently high professional standard for the publication. She has also been most helpful to me, giving her time to educating me, responding promptly to my many questions, and promising to continue to do so. American Diplomacy has been fortunate to have her.

I spent about 25 years in the Foreign Service, retiring as a Minister-Counselor. I worked primarily on the Soviet Union and Russia, as well as on Africa. Subsequently, I consulted with the State Department for 10 years on nonproliferation and disarmament matters. My first book, Negotiating with the Soviets, was published while I was still a Foreign Service officer. After retirement, I wrote my second book, The Craft of Political Analysis for Diplomats, as well as a number of articles for international affairs journals, including this one. The highlights of my non-professional retirement activities have been climbing Kilimanjaro and skippering my sailboat across the Atlantic and, after four years in the Mediterranean, bringing it back.

This journal is about the art and practice of diplomacy, particularly American diplomacy. We'll continue to publish both analytical and personal perspectives on the subject, some illustrative historical articles, and, hopefully, some trenchant commentary on the key issues of the day. When we know a point of view is controversial, we'll try to present alternate views, or at least point our readers to where such alternate views can be found.

Let's turn now to the current issue.

Ambassador Robert Blake's How Climate Diplomacy is a Pillar of Efforts to Address Climate Change reviews both public and private sector efforts on climate change, recounts his own experience working with Secretaries Kerry and Yellen to achieve a significant commitment from Indonesia to limit coal production, and recommends structural and policy changes to enable the State Department to play a more agile role in this area. Our Links section will direct you to a Duke University webinar featuring Ambassador Blake on...