MEDIATION AS A PEACEFUL SOLUTION IN INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS

Abstract

This dissertation was written as part of the Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution program at the Independent College Dublin (ICD). We present in this study the concept of mediation as a means of facilitating a peaceful resolution of international conflicts, a method that has been used widely for quite some time. The purpose of our presentation will be to examine the history of peaceful conflict resolution, international conventions and treaties that have encouraged the search for a peaceful solution to disputes, which has proven to be detrimental to armed conflict over time. As a result of wars and other international conflicts throughout history, the international system of States has experienced changes in its approach to armed conflict: as the costs of armed conflict became insurmountable, the idea of seeking peace gained a greater basis of support. During the Hague Conferences of 1899 and 1907, the Convention for the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes was adopted, which provides a framework for our understanding of the institutionalization and promotion of peaceful resolution of international conflicts. In the following section, we will discuss mediation in international conflicts, its primary characteristics, and how it operates within international organizations, particularly within the United Nations. We will study a case study, in international mediation, in order to gain a practical understanding of how this tool can be used. We will assess the present state of the art with respect to one of the methods available for the peaceful resolution of conflicts (mediation) within the context of one possible dimension of conflict (the international conflict), always keeping in mind that the ultimate objective is the finding of peaceful solutions to international conflicts.