Diplomacy, everywhere and at all times

Dear reader,

When high-level peace talks take place in Geneva, the media see this as proof of the enduring appeal of the “world capital of peace”. If they take place elsewhere, it is not uncommon for people to start singing the swan song of International Geneva.

The same applies to Switzerland as a mediator: if it plays a prominent role in mediating between conflicting parties, this is seen as a result of the country’s time-honoured neutrality. Whenever others mediate, it is claimed that this is because Swiss neutrality is no longer credible.

That is, of course, somewhat exaggerated. But not by much: such headlines appear regularly in the Swiss media.

On the one hand, this is down to the nature of the media – the rush does not always allow for nuanced analysis. On the other hand, it is also down to the simplified view that some journalists have of negotiations or mediation: here are two states in conflict with one another; there is a third party mediating.

This view is wrong for two reasons: in recent years, conflicts worldwide have increased significantly, as have their frequency, complexity and geographical spread. But only a minority of these are inter-state.

Furthermore, thanks to digital tools, the world is more closely connected than ever before. As a result, not only are the conflicts becoming more complex, but so are the approaches to resolving them. This is one reason why we often see not just one, but several parties mediating simultaneously. A division of labour, so to speak.

A recent example: in the Iran conflict, Turkey, Pakistan and Egypt are said to be endeavouring to broker negotiations. At the same time, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said in an interview regarding Switzerland’s role: “We are much more than the postman.” He was referring to the mandate as a protecting power in Iran, about which, however, very little information reaches the public.

It is therefore difficult to get an idea of the mediation in real time. And there is another point: we can only know whether mediation has been successful after the event. That is why it is wise to hold back on public communication for the time being – nobody wants to be seen as a failed mediator.

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Best regards,

Giannis Mavris

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