Current developments in international conflict management: Assessing the relevance of negotiation and mediation*

Abstract

The effective management of serious international conflict is hampered by a lack of knowledge about the relative merits of different methods and how best to achieve peace. Negotiation and mediation are two of the most commonly employed methods to terminate conflicts in international relations. When then should parties use negotiation, or ask for the assistance of a mediator? Empirical research shows that the success of negotiation and mediation is determined by a different set of conflict conditions. Negotiation seems most effective in the later phases of a conflict when the disputants have experienced some costs, when the conflict is between similarly aligned and capable states, and when both sides express willingness to talk. Mediation, on the other hand, is most effective early in the conflict, between friendly states, when the conflict structure is fairly simple, and the conflict itself is at the lower end of the intensity scale.