Small States in International Mediation: The Case of Norway

The research question this thesis poses is: By what means do small states, as opposed to great powers, contribute to international mediation? The examination of two cases has suggested that a small state can contribute to international mediation by presenting itself as a neutral third party that lacks any strategic interests in the conflict and can provide a neutral physical location for peace talks, and by using established links with the conflicting parties, to become more easily accepted as mediator by conflicting parties than a great power mediator. The case studies also suggest that small states might be able to achieve significant progress during the mediation process by using a confidence-building strategy, although this does not necessarily lead to the effective addressing of the root causes of the conflict and successful resolution of the conflict. Although the theory on small states in international mediation suggests that the combination of mediation efforts by a small...Show moreThe research question this thesis poses is: By what means do small states, as opposed to great powers, contribute to international mediation? The examination of two cases has suggested that a small state can contribute to international mediation by presenting itself as a neutral third party that lacks any strategic interests in the conflict and can provide a neutral physical location for peace talks, and by using established links with the conflicting parties, to become more easily accepted as mediator by conflicting parties than a great power mediator. The case studies also suggest that small states might be able to achieve significant progress during the mediation process by using a confidence-building strategy, although this does not necessarily lead to the effective addressing of the root causes of the conflict and successful resolution of the conflict. Although the theory on small states in international mediation suggests that the combination of mediation efforts by a small state and a great power might lead to a more successful mediation outcome, the Israeli-Palestinian case did not provide any evidence for the use of a ‘division of labour’-strategy, although indirect support for Norway’s mediation efforts from the US was important.Show less

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Small States in International Mediation: The Case of Norway