What Impact Of Power Do Foreign Ministers Have?

A great one, I should say - I know about 4 of them  personally. Just this week, Ismail Cem- ex- Turkish Foreign Minister died at age 67 of lung cancer. An extraordinary person - studied in France- returned home + worked as journalist - became politician, when his party did not carry with him his goal to make peace with Greece, and push forward Turkey's entry to the European Community- he formed his own party to go on.

There was Henry Kissinger, whose personality softened the overdrive of his country and most probably prevented more than one military involvement of it in other areas during his term - and stopped that disaster that usually comes with it - see Iraq + Afganistan today-  and softened the antagony of angry counterparts internally and internationally.

There is Benito Ferrero Wallner - former Foreign Minister of Austria and now in the same position of the European 'Community. She converses in 5 languages and every sentence she speaks you could print in a book without any corrections - it's so well balanced spoken - !  Any one of us would sit for hours to work out a speech - she does it in a matter of minutes (although she has staff to research - of course).
And she has charm and wit and when she speaks to you - she gives you the feeling there is no more important person in the world but just you - in front of her.  
Which confirms the truth, that diplomacy  is more about the art of listening - rather than speaking. But Mrs. Ferreo-Wallner can speak as well - as stated above! What a woman - ! The list of disasters she has prevented is too long to be mentioned here!