CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION AND THE EUROPEAN UNION
Abstract
Conflicts have become an integral part of and a common phenomenon in international relations over last two decades. The European continent has been no exception in this regard. The European Union, a supranational organization established to prevent further devastating wars between the continent’s major powers, has been struggling since its very foundation to prevent the escalation of violent behavior of countries or to manage and mediate the already existing conflicts. Throughout this period, it has witnessed many brutal confrontations nearby its borders, including eruptions of fierce fighting after the collapse of Yugoslavia, bloody Kosovo war, the 2008 Georgia-Russia war, and the Russian occupation of parts of Ukraine. These tensions left five of the six Eastern Partnership countries with territorial conflicts, where the EU has been involved with varying degree.Taking into consideration that the conflicts have been an pressing issue for so many societies and one of the main hindering factors of the countries’ development, it is interesting to academically investigate what is conflict management, what is international mediation, and what is the EU doing in these fields, what is the EU experience in conflict management and mediation processes?Being a complex bureaucracy, it is usually difficult for practitioners and representatives of governmental, non-governmental and international organizations to identify those EU bodies, structures and instruments that were developed to address the conflicts effectively. In this regard, the information demonstrated in this paper will be productive and contribute to the societal relevance of the research.For these purposes, first section of the paper will review the academic scholarship on the aspects of conflict management. Second section will consider mediation, its characteristics as well as factors affecting the mediation. Third part will be dedicated to the discussion of the EU involvement in conflict management and mediation processes, relevant EU bodies and instruments.Keywords: conflict management, international mediation, EU bodies and instrumentsReferences
Bercovitch, J. & Regan, P. (1999). The Structure of International Conflict Management: An Analysis of the Effects on Interactability and Mediation. International Journal of Peace Studies, 4 (1), pp. 1-14.
Crocker, C. A. (2011). Thoughts on the Conflict Management Field after 30 Years. International Negotiation, 16 (1), pp. 1-10.
Crocker, C. A., Hampson, F. O. & Aall, P. R. (2007, eds.). Leashing the Dogs of War: Conflict Management in a Divided World. Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace.
Bercovitch, J., Kremenyuk, V. & Zartman, I.W. (2009, eds.). The SAGE Handbook of Conflict Resolution. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Wolff, S. & Whitman, R. G. (2012, eds.). The European Union as a Global Conflict Manager. London & New York: Routledge.
Frazier, D. V. & Dixon, W. J. (2006). Third Party Intermediaries and Negotiated Settlements, 1946–2000. International Interactions, 32 (4), pp. 385–408.
Greig, M. & Diehl, P. (2012). International Mediation. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Oswiak, A. P. (2014). Conflict Management Trajectories in Militarized Interstate Disputes: A Conceptual Framework and Theoretical Foundations. International Studies Review, 16 (1), pp. 50-78.
Ramsbotham, O., Woodhouse, T. & Miall, H. (2011). Contemporary Conflict Resolution. 3rd Edition. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Carneiro, D., Novais, P. & Neves, J. (2014). Conflict Resolution and its Context: From the Analysis of Behavioural Patterns to Efficient Decision-Making. London: Springer.
Gruber, H. E. (2009). “Creativity and Conflict Resolution: The Role of Point of View”. In: Deutsch, M., Coleman, P. T. & Marcus, E. (eds.). The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice. 2nd Edition. San Franscisco: Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint, pp. 391-401.
Arai, T. (2009). Creativity and Conflict Resolution: Alternative Pathways to Peace. London: SIT Graduate Institute.
Svensson, I. (2007). Mediation with muscles or minds? Exploring power mediators and pure mediators in civil wars. International negotiation, 12 (2), pp. 229-248.
Bercovitch, J. (2005). “Mediation in the Most Resistant Cases”. In Crocker, C. A., Hampson, F. O. & Aall, P. R. (eds.). Grasping the Nettle: Analyzing Cases of Intractable Conflict. Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press, pp. 99–121.
Vuković, S. (2016). International Multiparty Mediation and Conflict Management: Challenges of Cooperation and Coordination. London: Routledge.
Bercovitch, J. (2006). Mediation Success or Failure: A Search For the Elusive Criteria. Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution, 7, pp. 289-302.
Bercovitch, J. & Fretter, J. (2004). Regional Guide to International Conflict and Management from 1945 to 2003. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press.
Touval, S. & Zartman, W. (2006). “International Mediation in the Post- Cold War Era,” in Crocker, C.A., Hampson, F.O. & Aall, P.R. (2006, eds.). Turbulent Peace: The Challenges of Managing International Conflicts. Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press, pp. 427–443.
Bercovitch, J. (1992). Mediators and Mediation Strategies in International Relations. Negotiation Journal, 8, pp. 99-112.
Bercovitch, J. & Jackson, R. (2009). Conflict Resolution in the Twenty First Century: Principles, Methods and Approaches. Ann Arbor: Michigan University Press.
Crocker, C. A., Hampson, F. O. & Aall, P. R. (2004). Taming Intractable Conflicts: Mediating in the Most Resistant Cases. Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press.
Crocker, C. A., Hampson, F. O. & Aall, P. R. (2003) “Two is Company but three is Crowd? Some Hypotheses about Multiparty Mediation,” in Bercovitch, J. (ed.) Studies in International Mediation. London: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 228–257.
Crocker, C. A., Hampson, F. O. & Aall, P. R. (2001). Crowded Stage: Liabilities and benefits of Multiparty Mediation. International Studies Perspectives, 2 (1), pp. 51–67.
Bercovitch, J. & Jackson, R. (2001). Negotiation or Mediation? An Exploration of Factors Affecting the Choice of Conflict Management in International Conflict. Negotiation Journal, 17 (1), pp. 59-77.
Kydd, A. (2006). When can mediators build trust? The American Political Science Review, 100 (3), pp. 449-462.
Maoz, Z. & Terris, L. G. (2009). “Credibility and Strategy in International Mediation”. In Bercovitch J. & Gartner, S. S. (eds.). International Conflict Management: New Approaches and Findings, Londond: Routledge, pp. 69–95.
Bercovitch, J. (2002). “Introduction: Putting Mediation in Context”. In: Bercovitch, J. (ed.). Studies in International Mediation. Basingstoke: Macmillan, pp. 3-24.
Zartman, I. W. (2001). The Timing of Peace Initiatives: Hurting Stalemates and Ripe Moments. The Global Review of Ethnopolitics, 1 (1), pp. 8–18.
Beardsley, K. (2011). The Mediation Dilemma. Ithaca: Cornel University Press.
Svensson, I. (2009). Who Brings Which Peace? Neutral versus Biased Mediation and Institutional Peace Arrangement in Civil Wars. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 53 (3), pp. 446-469.
Princen, T. (1992). International Intermediaries in Conflict. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Bercovitch, J. & Schneider, G. (2000). “Who Mediates? The Political Economy of International Conflict Management,” Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 145–165.
Rauchhaus, R. (2006). Asymmetric information, mediation, and conflict management. World Politics, 58 (2), pp. 207-241.
Savun, B. (2009). “Mediators types and the effectiveness of information-provision strategies in the resolution of international conflict”. In: Bercovitch, J. & Gartner, S. (eds.). International Conflict Mediation: New Approaches and Findings. NYC: Routledge.
Sisk, T. (2009). International Mediation in Civil Wars – Bargaining with bullets. New York: Routledge.
Whitefield, T. (2010). External Actors in Mediation: Dilemmas and Options for Mediators. Geneva: Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.
Crocker, C. A., Hampson, F. O. & Aall, P. R. (1999). Herding Cats: Multiparty Mediation in a Complex World. Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press.
Böhmelt, T. (2012). Why Many Cooks if They Can Spoil the Broth? The Determinants of Multiparty Mediation. Journal of Peace Research, 49 (5), pp. 701–715.
Böhmelt, T. (2011). International Mediation Interaction: Synergy, Conflict, Effectiveness. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag.
Beber, B. (2010). The (Non-)Efficacy of Multiparty Mediation in Wars Since 1990. NY University, Unpublished Manuscript.
Jones, B. D. (2002). “Challenges of Strategic Coordination”. In: Stedman, S. J., Rothchild, D. & Cousens, E. M. (eds.). Ending Civil Wars: The Implementation of Peace Agreements. Boulder: Lynne Rienner, pp. 89-116.
Bercovitch, J. (1991). International mediation and dispute settlement: Evaluating the conditions for successful mediation. Negotiation Journal, 7 (1), pp. 17-30.
Bercovitch, J. & Langley, J. (1993). The nature of the dispute and the effectiveness of international mediation. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 37, pp. 670-691.
Susskind, L. & Cruikshank, J. (1987). Breaking the Impasse: Consensual Approaches to Resolving Public Disputes. New York: Basic Books.
Melin, M., Gartner, S. & Bercovitch, J. (2013). Fear of Rejection: The Puzzle of Unaccepted Mediation Offers in International Conflict. Conflict Management and Peace Science, 30 (4), pp. 354–368.
D’Estree T. P., Fast, L. Weiss, J. & Jakobsen, M. (2001). Changing the Debate About „Success“ in Conflict Resolution Efforts. Negotiation Journal, 17 (2), pp. 101-113.
Jeong, H-W. (2010). Conflict Management and Resolution – An Introduction. London: Routledge.
Makhashvili, L. (2013). The Geneva Talks and the European Union: Conditionality and Social Learning or Strategic Socialization? Medzinárodné Vzťahy (International Relations), 1, pp. 69-81.
Zartman, I. W. & Touval, S. (2010). Cooperation: The Extensions and Limits of International Multilateralism. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Strimling, A. (2006) “Stepping Out of the Tracks: Cooperation Between Official Diplomats and Private Facilitators,” International Negotiation, 11 (1), pp. 91–127.
Nan, S. A. & Strimling, A. (2006). Coordination in Conflict Prevention, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding. International Negotiation, 11 (1), pp. 1-6.
Council of the European Union (2009). Concept on Strengthening EU Mediation and Dialogue Capacities. Retrieved on 11 August 2016,
Meerts, P. (2004). “Entrapment in International Negotiations”. In Zartman, I. W. & Faure, G. O. (eds.). Escalation and Negotiation in International Conflicts. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 111–140.
Bercovitch, J., Anagnoson, T. J. & Wille, D. L. (1991). Some Conceptual Issues and Empirical Trends in the Study of Successful Mediation in International Relations. Journal of Peace Research, 28 (1), pp. 7–17.
Bercovitch, J. & Gartner, S. (2006). Is there Method in the Madness of Mediation? Some Lessons for Mediators from Quantitative Studies of Mediation. International Interactions, 32 (4), pp. 329-354.
Bercovitch, J. (2011). Theory and Practice of International Mediation: Selected essays. London: Routledge.
Bercovitch, J. & Houston, A. (1996). “The study of international mediation: Theoretical issues and empirical evidence”. In: Bercovitch, J. (ed.). Resolving international conflicts: The theory and practice of mediation. Boulder: Lynne Rienner.
Stephens, J. (1988). “Acceptance of mediation initiatives: A preliminary framework”. In: Mitchell, C. & Webb, K. (eds.). New approaches to international mediation. New York: Greenwood Press.
Kleiboer, M. & Hart, P. (1995). Time to talk? Multiple perspectives on timing of international mediation. Cooperation and Conflict, 30, pp. 307-48.
Greig, M. (2005). Stepping into the fray: when do mediators mediate? American Journal of Political Science. 49 (2), pp. 249-266.
Zartman, I. W. & Touval, S. (1996). “International Mediation in the post-Cold War Era”. In: Crocker, C. A., Hampson, F. O. & Aall, P. (eds.). Managing Global Chaos: Sources of and Responses to International Conflict. Washington: United States Institute of Peace Press.
Emerson, M. – Coppieters, B. ¬– Huysseune, M. – Kovziridze, T. – Noutcheva, G. – Tocci, N. – Vahl, M., (2004): Europeanization and conflict resolution: case studies from the European periphery. In: Journal on Ethnopolitics and Minority Issues in Europe, 2004, 1.
Blockmans, S., Wouters, J. & Ruys, T. (2010,eds.). The European Union and Peacebuilding – Policy and Legal Aspects. Hague: Asser Press.
Tocci, N. (2007). The EU and Conflict Resolution. Promoting Peace in the Backyard. London & New York: Routledge.
Makhashvili, L. (2016). The Association Agreement – New Conflict Resolution Mechanism or Another Beautiful Cloth On the Same Body? Caucasus Social Science Review, 2 (2), pp. 1-14.
Pohl, B. (2012). But We Have to Do Something. The Drivers behind EU Crisis Management Operations. PhD Thesis, Leiden University.
Popescu, N. (2009). EU and the Eastern Neighbourhood: reluctant involvement in conflict resolution. European Foreign Affairs Review, 14, pp. 457-477.
Whitman, R. & Wolff, S. (2012, eds.). The European Neighborhood Policy in Perspective: Context, Implementation and Impact. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Oproiu, M. (2015). Crafting a Wider Strategy for Conflict Management in the Neighbourhood? A Comparative Perspective on the European Union’s Civilian Missions in Georgia and Kosovo. Romanian Journal of European Affairs, 15 (2), pp. 22-41.
European External Action Service (2016b). Crisis management and Response. Retrieved on 16 September 2016, http://eeas.europa.eu/topics/crisis-response/412/crisis-management-and-response_en>
European External Action Service (2016c). Ongoing missions and operations. Retrieved on 26 September 2016, http://eeas.europa.eu/csdp/missions-and-operations/index_en.htm>
European External Action Service (2016a). Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP). Retrieved on 16 September 2016 http://eeas.europa.eu/topics/instrument-contributing-stability-and-peace-icsp/422/instrument-contributing-to-stability-and-peace-icsp_en>
European Commission (2015). Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace, preventing conflict around the world. Retrieved on 16 September 2016, http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/fpi/what-we-do/instrument_contributing_to_stability_and_peace_en.htm>
European Parliament and Council of the European Union (2014). Regulation (EU) No 230/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an instrument contributing to stability and peace. Official Journal of the European Union, L77. Retrieved on 16 September 2016, http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/fpi/documents/140311_icsp_reg_230_2014_en.pdf>
Council of the European Union (2003). A Secure Europe in a Better World – European Security Strategy. Retrieved on 12 June 2013, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cmsupload/78367.pdf>
Council of the European Union (2011). Council conclusions on conflict prevention. Retrieved on 11 August 2016,
European External Action Service (2015). Structure, Instruments and Agencies. Retrieved on 15 September 2016, https://eeas.europa.eu/topics/common-security-and-defence-policy-csdp/5392/csdp-structure-instruments-and-agencies_en>
