The Federation Secretary of the Exterior is a senior member of the Federation President's cabinet and the head of the Federation Department of the Exterior, responsible for helping to coordinate foreign policy and affairs. (ST novel: Articles of the Federation)
The office of Secretary of the Exterior originated in the Federation Commission's foreign office in the 2160s. From 2161 to 2165, the position was known as the Federation Commissioner for Foreign Affairs. The inaugural Federation Foreign Affairs Commissioner was Soval of Vulcan. (ENT - Rise of the Federation novel: A Choice of Futures) By December 2165, the position's name had been changed to Federation Commissioner for Diplomatic Affairs; Soval remained in office. (ENT - Rise of the Federation novel: Patterns of Interference)
In the 23rd century, the foreign minister's office was known as the Federation Secretary of State, in accordance with the Department of the Exterior's former name. (TNG novel: The Genesis Wave, Book 1)
In 2387, Federation Starfleet Commander Worf, son of Mogh, in command of the USS Enterprise-E, ordered that his crew transmit the demands of the Nausicaan diaspora leader Kinogar to Starfleet Command, the Federation Council, and the Secretary of the Exterior. (TNG novel: Collateral Damage)
The Secretary of the Exterior seems to roughly correspond to the role of the United States Secretary of StateWP or a Foreign MinisterWP. The Genesis Wave: Book I contains reference to the Federation foreign minister in 2286 being called the "Secretary of State;" it is conjectured that the Federation Departments of State and the Exterior are the same ministry, simply renamed. Alternately, the full formal title may be or have been something akin to "Secretary of State for the Exterior," just as Canada's foreign minister was once known as Secretary of State for External Affairs.
Federation Secretaries of the Exterior | ||
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Soval • Xev Chiana • Ythrilasifsa sh'Zathrosia • Safranski | ![]() |