UFP's best ambassador?

[FaxModem1]

We've seen a lot, and I mean A LOT, of ambassadors and diplomats on Star Trek, representing the Federation, and more often than not, they seem like more of a hindrance than a help to the Federation. So, who is the Federation's best ambassador or diplomat, and why?

[DaveJB]

Probably Sarek, since he wasn't overly dickish or idiotic, usually managed to pull off negotiations without resulting to psychic powers or other sinister means, and even managed some apparently very tricky negotiations with the Legarans despite his deteriorating mental faculties.

[Eframepilot]

There's no way to even begin to evaluate such a thing, but if we're going to base it on reputation in the fandom, it would have to be either Sarek or Spock. Probably Sarek due to his much longer career and greater triumphs. Spock's mission to Romulus apparently ended in catastrophic failure, unless one assumes that nu-Trek takes place in an entirely different timeline even before the red matter time rift appeared (for which there is circumstantial evidence).

[DaveJB]

Since I'm having kind of a slow day, I looked up Memory Alpha's list of Federation ambassadors. So, in alphabetical order, here's a list of the ambassadors who we know any significant details about:

Ves Alkar: An effective negotiator, but also an evil bastard who subjected women to psychic trauma and slowly killed them.

Robert April: Not many specifics, but he was apparently effective enough at his job that the Federation waived their usual "mandatory retirement age" law when he was about to be put out to pasture.

Curzon Dax: Seems to have been very highly thought of in the Klingon Empire, who he was Federation ambassador to, so presumably was quite good at his job.

Robert Fox: A pretty major asshat, who insisted on trying to establish relations with Eminiar VII when they made it clear they had no interest in doing so, though actually seemed somewhat effective when he found himself in the middle of the situation on the planet.

Gav: The Tellerite seen in Journey to Babel. Definitely not good company at dinner parties, and judging by how often he supposedly lost arguments to Sarek, probably not that good of an ambassador either.

Neelix: Yeah, remind me how many times he nearly provoked hostile aliens into trying to kill the Voyager crew again? (Admittedly, he did seem to get better as the series progressed)

Odan: Seemed a decent guy/gal, and apparently an effective enough negotiator that his absence would have completely derailed some important discussions.

Sarek: Spent over a hundred years as an ambassador, carried out many difficult negotiations, and judging by Star Treks III, IV and VI seemed very highly respected in the Federation and by other species apart (with the obvious exception of the Klingons).

Spock: Seemed to do a good job of helping negotiate peace with the Klingons, though that had a lot to do with the explosion of Praxis and Gorkon being receptive to the idea of peace. If you accept "Countdown" as being canon, he also did a lot to help Vulcans gain social acceptance in the Romulan Empire, though not enough to persuade the Romulans and Vulcans to work together to prevent the destruction of Romulus.

St. John Talbot: Well, this would require acknowledging that Star Trek V actually exists, so...

Lwaxana Troi: In-between her constantly shouting her credentials at everyone, getting horny around Picard and Odo, and showing up her daughter, I don't think we actually found out much about what she actually did as an ambassador. I think she helped persuade a planet or two to join the Federation, so that probably gives her an edge over some of the other names on this list.

Worf: Was ambassador to the Klingons for a few years, then apparently gave up the job because he didn't like it.

Based on all that, I'd say Sarek was still the best overall, with Curzon Dax probably being the runner-up.

[Prometheus Unbound]

Does Picard count? He's filled in when ambassadors have died / transformed / transmutated / disintegrated / gone mad / had a bad day.

Sarek, imo.

[Tribble]

And what about Archer and Janeway? Frequently they were the ones doing the negotiations (sadly).

[Batman]

James T. Kirk. Because he was not only perfectly willing to point out when the people he was negotiating with were complete morons, but also made them see what their idiocy would result in if they continued this behaviour, by force if need be.

[Prometheus Unbound]

Sarek or Curzon Dax for me.

[Panashe]

Montgomery Scott

Scotty: "The best diplomat I know is a fully activated phaser bank."