Peacemaking Is a Risky Business - PRIO

4 ‘Peacemaking Is a Risky Business’medium-sized powers have fewer foreign policy instruments at their disposal thangreat powers. Mediation might increase their usefulness and independence in relationto their stronger allies. 5The Norwegian ‘crusader diplomacy’ in the Middle East created and reinforced positiveattention. It created an image of having a mission in the world, of having somethingspecial to offer in terms of political morality and conflict mediation. Internationally,Norway’s role in the peace process involved fame and prestige. It involved influenceon the international peace scene. Peacemaking became one of Norway’s best exportarticles. 6 This involvement made the small and remote country and its capital visibleon the map of actors in international politics. It reinforced and contributed to theNorway’s ‘peace’ image. Norway already had the Nobel Peace Prize. After the diplomaticbreakthrough in the Middle East, it also had Oslo as the Capital of Peace – atleast for a while. 7Mediation or Facilitation?The purpose of mediation is to resolve a conflict by finding a solution that is acceptableto the adversaries. It should neither be based on the use of force nor aimed at helpingone of the participants to win. In such a process, parties are not committed in advanceto accepting ideas presented to them by a mediator: ‘Mediation is best thoughtof as a mode of negotiation in which a third party helps the parties to find a solutionwhich they cannot find themselves.’ 8Mediation plays an important role in contemporary international affairs, and eventsassociated with it at times garner widespread public attention. In international politics,the use of mediation as a tool has a long history. However, the precise nature of mediationis often hard to pin down: ‘Mediation has always been something of a mysteriousart.’ Hence, this field of research has developed ‘as many theories of practice asthere are practitioners’. 9During the last three decades, many theories on third-party intervention, mediation,facilitation and the role of intermediaries have been developed. Given the importanceof these subjects, it is hardly surprising that this is a topic of great interest to bothscholars and practitioners. Theories have been developed within the fields of internationalrelations, political science, sociology, communication, and political and socialpsychology. The approaches provide different perspectives and levels of analysis.5 Zartman 1996, pp. 446, 448–449; Touval 1999, pp. 1–2.6 Aftenposten, 31 March 1995.7 Butenchøn 1997, p. 21.8 Zartman 1996, p. 446; see also p. 445.9 Jones 1999, pp. 13–14; see also p. 9; Zartman 1996, p. 445.