As noted above, it would be an exaggeration to argue that the major principles of permanent diplomacy changed due to the end of the Cold War. Yet, it would also be flawed to neglect the fact that certain significant developments gained momentum. Firstly, the nature of foreign policy shifted from a pure state-centric to a more multi-actor and multi-factorial ground. Neack (2008) calls this new form of foreign policy as “new foreign policy” and argues that new foreign policy has the characteristics mentioned below:

• “Foreign policy is made and conducted in complex domestic and international environments.
• Foreign policy results from the work of coalitions of interested domestic and international actors and groups.
• Foreign policy issues are often linked and delinked, reflecting the strength of various parties and their particular concerns.
• The “stuff” of foreign policy derives from issues of domestic politics as well as foreign relations.
• Foreign policy analysis needs to be multilevel and multifaceted in order to confront the complicated sources and nature of foreign policy.” (Neack, 2008: 6).