Mediation: Negotiating in the Shadow of Crisis

The most difficult peace negotiations in recent decades—in Ireland, the Middle East, the former Yugosloavia, and Sri Lanka—were plagued by a common enemy: violent disruptions by spoilers opposed to the peace process. In each of these cases, extremists stalled negotiations by creating security crises that divided public opinion and drove negotiators apart. What can be done to insulate ongoing peace negotiations from the terror attacks and other security crises they trigger?