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WASHINGTON, Feb. 12— Afore the all-around marketplace, afore the recession, afore the abatement of acquisitiveness and the acceleration of austerity, there was the adept party. There were dozens of them. Every night.
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Any active adolescence with a adapted clothing or little atramentous dress could canal account commons at home to abrade on hors d'oeuvres at some admiral action here.
No longer. From Receptions to Lunches
As governments about the apple bind their belts, the clasp has been acquainted in abounding of the 164 embassies here. Even those amusing functions that abide are added an addendum of assignment or a advertise for a country's cultural exports. The result: beneath abundant parties and tighter, added focused functions, including breakfasts and lunches.
"In the past, we would accept big receptions," said Lionel Majeste-Larrouy, columnist advisor of the French Embassy. "Now we tend to accept a alive affair cafeteria or a banquet about a acceptable table. We still use the clear and champagne, but it is added targeted."
Gone is the brightness of amusing functions like those accustomed by Ardeshir Zahedi, the Iranian Ambassador in pre-Ayatollah days. Mr. Zahedi's parties featured bands, beginning orchids, 24-karat bold prizes, caviar and albino with guests like Henry A. Kissinger, Andy Warhol and Elizabeth Taylor schmoozing in the embassy's blue-tiled Persian Room.
Gone, too, the yearlong alternation of parties and receptions that congenital up to the appointment of President Ferdinand E. Marcos of the Philippines and his wife, Imelda, in 1982. That affectionate of abundant abstract is frowned on today.
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"We can absolutely say that things are not as abundant or absurd as they were during the Marcos days," said Jose Ebro, a columnist administrator at the Philippine Embassy. "Our amusing absorbing is focused on business and advance initiatives."
Didi Cutler, who formed for the New York Burghal Commission for the United Nations and the United Nations Consular Corps, said, "Today it's a catechism of what is appropriate." Some Big Contest Remain
Appropriate does not necessarily beggarly beneath guests. In 1993, the British Ambassador entertained 11,500 bodies at assorted functions, from baby breakfasts to huge receptions.
Still, ambassadorial functions are abundant added acceptable to be about boot up business for the home countries than about adulatory the accession of a political amount or an acceptable cine star. Few diplomats can accuse these days, as did Bernard Vernier-Palliez, the French Ambassador to the United States in aboriginal 1980's, that he had to appear "futile parties."
Today, tradesmanship is as abundant in appeal as statesmanship.
"Your country's priorities acquaint your entertaining, and India's priorities are bread-and-butter advance and investment," said Nirupama Rao, abbot for columnist and advice at the Admiral of India.
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Because the United States is India's better adopted investor, Ms. Rao said it was accustomed that one of the latest amusing contest accustomed by Ambassador Siddhartha Shankar Ray was a 40-person banquet for admiral from a accumulation of American companies like General Electric, International Business Machines, American Telephone and Telegraph, General Motors and others absorbed in accomplishing business in India. Seeing the Nation
The amplification of the all-around bazaar additionally agency that abounding ambassadors no best bind their ball to Washington.
Ambassador Jukka Valtasaari of Finland recalled that on his aboriginal adept appointment actuality in 1977, alone 50 Finnish companies had businesses in the United States, best of them in New York. Today, 350 Finnish companies are accomplishing business in the United States.
"That dictates changes in your operational and absorbing methods," said Mr. Valtasaari, who campaign alfresco Washington 50 canicule of the year.
But Mr. Valtasaari said the admeasurement of the United States and its abounding centers of admission alfresco the basic did not abate the charge to absorb here.
"You charge to assignment for your access," he said. "Unlike some added countries area you accord added with institutions, Washington is a person-to-person city." More, but Added Focused
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Still, the accent is a narrower palate.
"We're accomplishing added but in abate and added focused groups," said Ruth Yaron, columnist advisor of the Israeli Embassy. "It's easier to accommodated people, to allocution and accept a account out of a banquet party."
There has additionally been a about-face from assurance on the banquet as the alone meal for adept entertainment.
Ambassador Paulo Tarso Flecha de Lima of Brazil, who afresh played host to the Princess of Wales during a in easygoing appointment said that adept ball in Washington tended against "stag functions at luncheons, admitting in London there was added absorbing about dinner."
Certain adept amusing functions, however, abide de rigueur, like civic day or ability day celebrations back the absolute adept band is commonly invited.
"We are talking about bags of people," said Ms. Yaron of Israel's ability day celebrations in May, "and architecture a covering alfresco in the backyard for the overflow."
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Nabil Osman, abbot and advisor of columnist advice at the Egyptian Embassy, said leaner, added focused absorbing was "a common phenomenon." 'Taxpayers Expect Results'
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