City Research Online

Abstract

This study presents an analytic framework for the study of third party decision-making in response to conflict and concerns third parties which take up the intermediary role. The case-study used is the intervention of the Western Contact Group, which included the governments of the United States, United Kingdom, Federal Republic of Germany, France, and Canada, as a coalition of intermediaries in the conflict over Namibia.

The research has centred on three inter-related questions regarding third party responses to conflict. Firstly, the initial choice of the intermediary role in response to conflict; secondly, the third party's tactical decisions during involvement as intermediary in the conflict situation; and thirdly, the third party's re-evaluation of its continued involvement as intermediary leading to the abandonment of the role prior to the achievement of a settlement of the conflict in which it is involved.

The devised analytic framework points to factors which may influence third party decisions at each of these three phases of third party responses to conflict. The application of the analytic framework to the Western Contact Group suggested that apart from the dynamics of the conflict itself, other factors influencing third party decisions include the third party's interests in the conflict and in the process of mediation, its resources, and, at times, its constituency. The use of the Western Contact Group has also shown that the coalition factor is important in that it influenced the initial decision of the member governments to take up an active role in the Namibian dispute. It has also shown that the relationships within the coalition influenced the choice of tactics in interaction with the conflict system.

It is argued that the involvement of an interested third party as intermediary is best analysed by considering the third party as forming part of Cat least) a three-cornered negotiation system, with the third party being one of the negotiators. Application of the analytic framework to the case-study has also pointed to indicators which may improve the framework and has raised a number of questions regarding intermediary involvement in conflict.

Publication Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > DT Africa J Political Science > JA Political science (General) J Political Science > JZ International relations
Departments:	School of Policy & Global Affairs School of Policy & Global Affairs > School of Policy & Global Affairs Doctoral Theses Doctoral Theses

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