ABSTRACT
Of all forms of social conflicts, international conflict is undoubtedly the most important. Three basic causes of international conflicts can be identified; economic, political, and social-psychological. The pacific intervention of third parties, be they individuals, representatives of private or international organizations, or indeed other states, is one of the few constructive approaches designed to overcome some structural obstacles and offer an operationally feasible program for the control of violence and the settlement of conflicts. Whether third parties are private individuals or representatives of states or organizations, their intervention alters the character of a conflict. A third party can affect the conditions of conflict management interactions as well as the process of conflict management interactions. The aptness of the analog of third party intervention in interpersonal conflict, where its intended efforts are indeed designed to teach the parties to resolve their conflict, should not be mistaken for legitimate evidence.
