Track II diplomacy
Encyclopedia
Track II diplomacy is a specific kind of informal diplomacy
, in which non-officials (academic scholars, retired civil
and military
officials, public figures, and social activists) engage in dialogue
, with the aim of conflict resolution
, or confidence-building.http://www.sfcg.org/resources/resources_terms.html This sort of diplomacy is especially useful after events which can be interpreted in a number of different ways, both parties recognize this fact, and neither side wants to escalate or involve third parties for fear of the situation spiraling out of control.
For example, suppose that a People's Republic of China
(PRC) general comments that atomic bombs are not out of the question if the PRC and the United States
should engage in low-level conflict over the Taiwan
question. If the US immediately responded with heavy press coverage and speeches by major officials, the PRC would then be forced to take either of two stances: (1) admission that the general was incorrect, which would inflame the Chinese population and cause grassroots
ire and anti-American feeling, or (2) claim that the general was correct, which would be detrimental to world peace
and diplomatic relations.
Instead, the US might engage in Track II diplomacy to try to understand whether the initial threat was as serious as it seemed to be. Dialogue would be deliberately invited in order to determine the stance of the PRC without creating a confrontational atmosphere.
The informal nature of Track II diplomacy allows serious and potentially dangerous issues to be discussed in an open, non-official forum.
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
, in which non-officials (academic scholars, retired civil
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
and military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
officials, public figures, and social activists) engage in dialogue
Dialogue
Dialogue is a literary and theatrical form consisting of a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people....
, with the aim of conflict resolution
Conflict resolution
Conflict resolution is conceptualized as the methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of some social conflict. Often, committed group members attempt to resolve group conflicts by actively communicating information about their conflicting motives or ideologies to the rest...
, or confidence-building.http://www.sfcg.org/resources/resources_terms.html This sort of diplomacy is especially useful after events which can be interpreted in a number of different ways, both parties recognize this fact, and neither side wants to escalate or involve third parties for fear of the situation spiraling out of control.
For example, suppose that a People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
(PRC) general comments that atomic bombs are not out of the question if the PRC and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
should engage in low-level conflict over the Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
question. If the US immediately responded with heavy press coverage and speeches by major officials, the PRC would then be forced to take either of two stances: (1) admission that the general was incorrect, which would inflame the Chinese population and cause grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
ire and anti-American feeling, or (2) claim that the general was correct, which would be detrimental to world peace
World peace
World Peace is an ideal of freedom, peace, and happiness among and within all nations and/or people. World peace is an idea of planetary non-violence by which nations willingly cooperate, either voluntarily or by virtue of a system of governance that prevents warfare. The term is sometimes used to...
and diplomatic relations.
Instead, the US might engage in Track II diplomacy to try to understand whether the initial threat was as serious as it seemed to be. Dialogue would be deliberately invited in order to determine the stance of the PRC without creating a confrontational atmosphere.
The informal nature of Track II diplomacy allows serious and potentially dangerous issues to be discussed in an open, non-official forum.
External links
- "Track II (Citizen) Diplomacy" at The Beyond Intractability Knowledge Base Project