rang diplomatique

CONT: Dans le cas de l'ambassade des États-Unis à Prague, un effectif de sept collaborateurs ayant rang diplomatique, auxquels s'ajoutaient six personnes en qualité de personnel administratif et technique, était apparemment considéré comme suffisant.

CONT: Under the counsellors come the diplomatic secretaries, to be carefully distinguished from their secretaries. Their titles are first secretary, second secretary, or third secretary. Though there used to be fourth secretaries, they too have fallen victims to title inflations. Private secretary, though often a key position, is not generally recognized as a diplomatic rank and does not rate inclusion on the Diplomatic List.
OBS: Diplomatic ranks have significance to protocol officers, receptionists or wives, because it specifies where one sits at an official dinner or marches in a state funeral. But to the career diplomat what is important is the class of the diplomatic agent in the Foreign Service, since this determines his salary.