| ID | 108886 |
| Title Proper | Contact group diplomacy |
| Other Title Information | the strategies of the western contact group in mediating Namibian conflict |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Iji, Tetsuro |
| Publication | 2011. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | The United States and four other major Western states pursued "Contact Group" diplomacy in trying to resolve the conflict in Namibia from 1977 to 1982-1983. This analysis examines their joint mediation, paying particular attention to the efficacy and constraints of the four principal mediating strategies. First, to mediate collectively helped the Western states in terms of credibility and influence as well as burden sharing and innovation, but it posed the problems of intragroup co-ordination and division. Second, working through the United Nations made the Contact Group a legitimate and credible mediator, whilst the organisation's decolonisation agenda called the mediator's neutrality into question. Third, the Western states managed to enhance their leverage by compounding within the group or borrowing from outside although the extent of such enhancement was limited. Lastly, the Group's record on the carrot-and-stick strategy towards South Africa was also mixed, with a great impact on its performance. |
| `In' analytical Note | Diplomacy and Statecraft Vol. 22, No. 4; Dec 2011: p.634-650 |
| Journal Source | Diplomacy and Statecraft Vol. 22, No. 4; Dec 2011: p.634-650 |
| Key Words | United States ; Western States ; Group Diplomacy ; Namibian Conflict |