The Challenge of Partnerism

One of the main challenges in complex negotiations, mainly in war-torn societies, is how to set up a negotiation table that will yield a sustainable agreement. The most crucial factor in answering this question is the identity of the parties with whom one negotiates or with whom this negotiation table should be set. Conceptualizing operational experience from the complex Middle East negotiations, this chapter formulates five indicators that ought to be considered when conducting negotiations in a complex environment: the challenge of representation, the legitimacy element, the party's responsibility to its constituencies, its ability to deliver, and its level of accountability.