Negotiation techniques by Mr Colin Jennings Negotiation needs techniques for maximising chances of success Diplomatic negotiation is representing your country. Qualities: clear thinking, high level knowledge of what your talking, careful preparation, communication skills. Experience, basic principles are crucial but are often forgotten by diplomats. Success is never guaranteed, nor failure. These techniques are as relevant for a mediator, a party or an observator. General application. Advance preparation : Why have a negotiation now? What is the benefit in having the negotiation at this point? Better than later for instance. There may be different people. Good time or bad time. Good time : Israeli-Palestinian. secret process of talks Oslo process. Early 1990s : famous occasion James Baker secretary of defense US. Talks breaking up. He said there would be a better time later. •

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What you really want to achieve ? What you really want out of the negotiation ? Very important. Cyprus : wanted to protect the continue of 2 military basis (both in the south) on the island => main goal of the British government. Process better than no process at all. Make sure you avoid a vacuum. Work out a realistic plan of how you can achieve it. Priorities, your bottom line. Pr Clinton, Cyprus, secret talks in London between UK, USA and the 2 communities. Good stuck on the first day. On the second day, the US representative went out because it was too long for him. It can't be quick. How much flexibility the team has ? Who's the leader of the team ? Quite technical issues. O knowledge is necessary. Well informed understanding of the opposite party. Why are they here ? John Hume moderate catholic Northern Ireland. Cease fire of the IRA. Why ? Couldn't understand. Young families => didn't want their children to live like them. 45% Catholics and 55% protestants. More Catholics than protestants in some years so it was a motivation.

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Avoiding ambiguity. In the way of talking. BE CLEAR. Communicate what you really want to say. People say things which are often misunderstood. Agenda will be agreed in advance. What are we here to achieve ? Put the thing in writing. Format. Organization of the space. Who are the mediators ? Strategy with the media ? Timing of sessions ? To maximize the time available for talks at coffee break. Many agreements are achieved in informal talks. Mediators have to judge when it will be good.

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Style. Listening carefully. Really understand what people say by questioning ourselves. Don't assume your preconceptions are right. Anger doesn't work. Remain calm, manifest calm and good humour. Cultivate a reputation of honesty and integrity by being straight-full and honest. Understanding cultural differences. East Asia : chairman. Not mister but professor for a professor from Korea. Body language. Quite important. Control your body language. Superiority, defensive. Can reveal part of what you are thinking. Don't reveal your differences (in the same team) in front of the others. Role of the chair or the mediator. Has to be the optimist. Indicate some ways. Suggesting some things, move on something else, timing the break. Own propose but risky. Tactics. The first positive proposal : from you ? From the others ? You don't mind ? Do you want to offer something first ? You can make an opening statement. -

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How tough you want to be ? Idem flexible ? Can depends on the points. Makariaus : sometimes it is more efficient to be very tough. Depends on the matter. If it is a matter of death or life, you can be tough. The risk is no agreement at all. Don't push people to a cul-de-sac with no way outs. Win / win atmosphere. Public opinion : more flexible on many issues than the politicians. Northern Ireland : the more hard line is in the parties. Secret poll to find out opinion of the public. People want an agreement. Politicians were more flexible. Public far more open to compromise (Cyprus). Cultivating the leaders of the delegation : the leader is often more flexible than the advisers. Tony Blair and an Irish man liked to talk about religion => great atmosphere. Great hatred, little room – Jonathan Powell. Avoiding complete dead-lock. Avoid breaking down. Process in some time of the future better than complete dead-lock. Having a break for a while can be good because the parties can think about it. The media strategy. Clear strategy. When you say something, they use it. Can be damaging.

Ambiguity can be constructive, can help to achieve an agreement BUT this agreement can't be very effective. In the best case, you write something which is not ambiguous. If you can't it is better to have an ambiguous agreement than no agreement at all.

For further information, see EU website and commission website.