A minister for foreign affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government (prime minister or president). It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in coalition governments. In some nations, such as India, the foreign minister is referred to as the Minister for External Affairs.
A foreign minister's powers can vary from government to government. In a classic parliamentary system, a foreign minister can potentially exert significant influence in forming foreign policy but when the government is dominated by a strong prime minister the foreign minister may be limited to playing a more marginal or subsidiary role in determining policy. Similarly, the political powers invested in the foreign minister are often more limited in presidential governments with a strong executive. Since the end of World War II, it has been common for both the foreign minister and defense minister to be part of an inner cabinet (commonly known as a national security council) in order to coordinate defence and diplomatic policy. Although the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries saw many heads of government assume the foreign ministry, this practice has since become uncommon in most developed nations.
Along with their political roles, foreign ministers are also traditionally responsible for many diplomatic duties, such as hosting foreign world leaders and going on state visits to other countries. The foreign minister is generally the most well-traveled member of any cabinet.
In the United Kingdom, the minister responsible for foreign policy as well as the British overseas territories) is the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Foreign Secretary). Before 1968, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs only handled relations with foreign (non-Commonwealth) countries, while relations with Commonwealth countries and colonies were handled by the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs. For the same reason, in Commonwealth countries other than the United Kingdom, the ministers responsible for handling relations with both Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth countries were formerly usually designated ministers for 'External Affairs'.
In the United States, the United States Secretary of State handles foreign policy and is the senior Cabinet officer. The name of the post comes from several domestic duties.
Other common titles may include minister of foreign relations. In many Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, the foreign minister is colloquially called canciller (chancellor).
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[edit] Country-related articles and lists
Abkhazia: Foreign Minister of Abkhazia
Afghanistan: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Angola: Minister of External Relations
Argentina: Foreign Minister of Argentina
Australia: Minister for Foreign Affairs (with list), heading the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Austria: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Austria-Hungary: Foreign Minister (list)
Azerbaijan: Foreign Minister (list), heading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Bangladesh: Minister of Foreign Affairs (with list)
Belgium: Minister of Foreign Affairs (with list)
Benin: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Brazil: see Ministry of External Relations
Canada: 
People's Republic of China: Foreign Minister (with list), heading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China: Foreign minister (list), heading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Chile: see Ministry of Foreign Affairs (with list)
Colombia: see Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Democratic Republic of the Congo: see Minister of Foreign Affairs
Croatia: see Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Cuba: see Minister of Foreign Affairs
Cyprus: see Minister of Foreign Affairs
Czech Republic: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Denmark: Foreign Minister (list)
Egypt: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Estonia: Minister of Foreign Affairs, heading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ethiopia: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Fiji: Minister for Foreign Affairs
Finland: Minister for Foreign Affairs
France: Minister of Foreign Affairs (with list)
Gabon: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Georgia: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Germany: Minister of Foreign Affairs (list)
East Germany: Foreign minister
Ghana: Minister for Foreign Affairs
Greece: Minister for Foreign Affairs (with list)
Haiti: Minister for Foreign Affairs
Hungary: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Iceland: Minister for Foreign Affairs
India: Minister of External Affairs
Indonesia: Departemen Luar Negeri - Department of Foreign Affairs
Iran: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ireland: Minister for Foreign Affairs (with list)
Israel: Foreign Affairs Minister
Italy: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Japan: Minister for Foreign Affairs (with list)
Kenya: Foreign Minister (list)
Liberia: Foreign minister (list)
Libya: Foreign minister (list)
Lithuania: Foreign minister
Luxembourg: Minister for Foreign Affairs (list)
Malaysia: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mexico: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Moldova: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Montenegro: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Namibia: Foreign Minister
Netherlands: Minister of Foreign Affairs (list), heading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
New Zealand: Minister of Foreign Affairs (with list), heading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Nigeria: Foreign Minister
Norway: Foreign minister
Pakistan: Foreign Minister (with list), heading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Palestine: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Philippines: Foreign Affairs Secretary, heading the Department of Foreign Affairs
Poland: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Portugal: Minister of Foreign Affairs (with list)
Prussia: Foreign Minister heading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Romania: Foreign Minister (list)
Russia: Foreign Minister (list)
São Tomé and Príncipe: Foreign Minister (list)
Scotland: Minister for Culture and External Affairs
Serbia: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Seychelles: Minister for Foreign Affairs
Sierra Leone: Minister for Foreign Affairs
Singapore: Minister for Foreign Affairs
South Korea: Foreign Minister (list)
Soviet Union: see the link under Russia
Sri Lanka: Minister for Foreign Affairs
Spain: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sweden: Minister for Foreign Affairs (with list), heading the Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Switzerland: Federal Councillor (list), heading the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
Syria: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Thailand: Minister of Foreign Affairs
Turkey: Minister for Foreign Affairs
Ukraine: Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
United Kingdom: 
United States: Secretary of State (with list), heading the Department of State
Uruguay: Foreign Minister
Vatican City: Secretary for Relations with States
Yugoslavia: Foreign Minister
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