Time to Talk? Multiple Perspectives on Timing of International Mediation

A crucial set of timing issues in international conflict management pertains to the moment and mode of entry to the conflict by a third party. Current middle-range theories on timing of third-party intervention focus on the identification of ‘ripe moments' in the evolution of a conflict when it can be most successfully dealt with by mediation. In contrast, it will be argued in this paper that one cannot treat time as an independent variable in international conflict. The role of temporal factors and the timing is embedded in a broader theory on the nature and importance of international mediation, which, in turn, rests on normative foundations and empirical assertions about the nature and study of international politics. The purpose of this paper is to lay the foundation for such theories on international mediation and in particular the role of temporal factors and timing herein. The mediation attempts in the Falklands/Malvinas conflict between Argentina and Great Britain will serve as an illustration of our theoretical argument.