pro·to·col /'prō-tə-ˌkȯl/ n
1: an original draft, minute, or record of a document or transaction
2 a: a preliminary memorandum often formulated and signed by diplomatic negotiators as a basis for a final convention or treaty
b: the records or minutes of a diplomatic conference or congress that show officially the agreements arrived at by the negotiators
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.