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Of Leadership and

Anniversaries

by David Chikvaidze

A great man turned ninety recently. I consider myself A dream came true and what an endorsement! Being part 27 years out of government, James A. Baker is still the ‘gold resolution. This was diplomacy at its best and the use of the
privileged and lucky to have had a chance to work with him of James Baker’s team was an unparalleled experience -- a standard’ for Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury, and United Nations machinery at its best.
and for him. source of professional exhilaration, personal pleasure and White House Chief of Staff. His stature as a public civil servant Hypothetical analysis, with hindsight to boot, is seldom
I first encountered James A. Baker, III and his team right just a whole lot of fun! It was also a singular honor. is surpassed only by his qualities as a human being: integrity, welcome, but I often wonder how the post-Cold-war world
after the 1988 US Presidential Election. Assistant to the honor, loyalty to those around him and a gift for humor. would have developed, had the American electorate given
Soviet Ambassador in Washington, DC, I got the call from Three years later, on a long flight in a small government- An authentic giant among men, in political, diplomatic and George H.W. Bush a second term and had James Baker
the transition team of the Secretary of State-designate, loaner jet, heading back to Western Sahara from New York, I human terms. continued as Secretary of State?
nominated the day before. The following day, I met with Mr. finally decided to pose a question that had long been on my Never afraid to call a spade a spade, he told me on more Is he infallible, did he never make mistakes? He probably did,
Baker’s scheduling assistant. She confessed a quarter century mind: “Mr. Baker, not being an American, I am not insisting, than one occasion, “Honesty is the best diplomacy.” Beware and I would love to hear him recount those instances, maybe
later to being terrified at meeting a Soviet diplomat in the merely asking, why are you doing your country the disservice of sitting across a negotiation table from James A. Baker, in the context of his birthday celebrations, or better still, on
State Department lobby. But she had little choice, since Mr. of not running for President?” however. He will best you ten times out of ten. But you another long flight. What I associate with his name, however,
Baker had “asked” her to stop shaking and get down there! He looked at me for a moment with surprise and contemplation will come away saying to yourself, What an extraordinary is top-notch master classes in diplomacy, every time I had the
He wanted to get things moving. - a look that anyone who knows him can readily visualize guy. No trickery, subterfuge, or bluster -- often mistaken good fortune to be around him. Whether as a junior Soviet
- then smiled and asked: “How long have you known me, for diplomacy. He just knows his brief and how to navigate diplomat working with his team in Jackson Hole, Wyoming
The friendships that emerged with his core team from our David?” “Over ten years, now,” I replied. “Well,” he said, “do international relations to the benefit of his country. in 1989, or ushering him through the Great Kremlin Palace
work together in those early days continued throughout you see me hat-in-hand going around asking for money and Secretary Baker’s professionalism and meticulous approach in 1991, or assisting him on confidential diplomatic missions
the Bush Administration, first in Washington and later support and then having to return favors to all these special to diplomacy, coupled with his ‘straight shooter’ nature, to Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania, it was always unique
when I moved to Kremlin protocol. All that time, watching interests?” “No, sir,” I replied. “Well, there’s your answer!” was most evident in the run-up to Desert Storm. Though schooling in diplomacy, democracy and statecraft.
this extraordinary man in action, I could not help thinking the United States was dealing by then with a very ‘pliable’
- without disloyalty toward my side -- how I would love to What makes a leader great? Is it positions held, fame Soviet Union, Mr. Baker did not take for granted that the UN I often wonder, as I contemplate today’s deeply unsettled
work for this guy. achieved, integrity, character, faith, basic human decency, Security Council would adopt a resolution authorizing the world, what would Jim Baker do, if he were in office today?
love of country and family? The gist of why I consider James ejection of Saddam Hussein from Kuwait by force. He held Inevitably I come to the same conclusion: if Jim Baker were in
It happened in 1997, I was a UN staffer. Named UN Secretary- A. Baker to be a great leader is comprised of all of the above intensive talks, diplomatic horse-trading, including with office today, the world would likely not be so unsettled.
General Kofi Annan’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, and is perfectly reflected in his succinct reply to me on that the ten non-permanent members of the Security Council,
Mr. Baker told the UN top brass briefing him: “You have memorable flight. putting in 37-hour workdays on three continents. As a The author is an international civil servant. The opinions
a guy here by the name of David Chikvaidze who is good result, he obtained an overwhelming majority vote for the expressed are his personal views.
at organizing things. I want him to work with me on this.”

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