Coordination Between Track Two and Track One Diplomacy in Successful Cases of Prenegotiation

Abstract

AbstractAn important form of coordination between track one and track two diplomacy revolves around unofficial problem-solving workshops at the level of politically influential individuals that make contributions to the process and outcomes of official negotiations. These contributions typically occur during the prenegotiation phase through the opening up of communication, the improvement of attitudes, the analysis of conflict issues and dynamics, the development of frameworks, the creation of options directed toward resolution, and so on. In order for these effects to be maximally beneficial, coordination between unofficial and official interventions is essential. This study describes connections between track two and track one peacemakers through a comparative analysis of four successful instances where workshops made important prenegotiation and paranegotiation contributions to the official peace processes. The analysis finds that such coordination was limited mainly to information sharing and indirect sequencing of efforts, and that in only one case did it involve the more engaging activities of joint strategy planning and collaboration in implementation. The article concludes that there are inherent limitations to coordination between track one and track two, given their unique and independent roles, but that both domains are evidencing more acceptance and respect for the other, which augurs well for the field of conflict resolution in terms of coordination toward greater effectiveness.