Role of
Negotiations
during Wartime
By: Saman Chaudhry.
BSP-014

Role of Negotiations
• Tool to help country being attacked.
• Negotiations made the fighting last longer, but
made it less intense.
• Helps the country being attacked to eventually
win.
• Negotiations can create short breaks in fighting.
• Chance to become stronger and fight back.
• Negotiations can be used to prolong fighting,
reduce military pressure, and even reverse the
outcomes of battles.
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Different type of Negotiations
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Different types of Negotiations
Sincere Negotiations
• A genuine desire on the part
of all parties.
• To identify common ground.
• Compromises are made.
• Setting personal biases aside.
• Requires good faith
bargaining.
• Effective communication
skills.
• Requires sense of trust.
• Commitment to mutual
respect.
Instrumental Negotiations
• Agreement just to gather
intelligence, to gain time to
regroup or rearm.
• “Negotiating for effect”
• Negotiations to stall for time.
• Or to create propaganda, or
gain tactical advantages on the
battlefield
• Delaying the conflict to
regroup.
• Reduce the costs of war.
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Different types of Negotiations
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Talking for Time
• By pretending to be interested in diplomacy, parties can
slow down their opponent in order to obtain a more
favourable outcome for themselves.
• When a belligerent is losing on the battlefield, they may
see negotiations as a way to avoid further losses.
Potential Shortcomings
There are many potential shortcomings that can arise
during war. It could be
• lack of resources,
• Communication breakdowns,
• Moral dilemma,
• Trauma and mental health issues,
• War crimes and human rights violations,
• Strategic miscalculations.

Different types of Negotiations
The First-Mover Advantage
• First mover advantage in war
refers to the strategic
advantage gained by the side
that initiates military action
or makes the first move in a
conflict. Potential benefits:
• Surprise,
• Initiative,
• Resource allocation,
• Psychological advantage
Reasons to Risk Negotiation
• Wars are often costly and
destructive, and that pursuing
a peaceful resolution may
ultimately be the best
Some worthy reasons could be
• Peaceful resolution,
• Building relationship,
• Managing conflict,
• Public opinion,
• International pressure
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Overview
• Wartime negotiations can take on many
different forms and are often complex and
challenging. They can involve a range of issues,
such as the terms of surrender, prisoner
exchanges, armistice agreements, and the
resolution of disputes between warring parties.
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Key factors to consider when negotiating during wartime
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Balance of Power
Goals and Objectives
Timing
Communication
Mediation
Building Trust
Flexibility
Endgame

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The End