ABSTRACT
Limited cooperation produces a limited result. When third parties are unwilling to use their full mediating potential – for instance, when a patron state is unwilling to use more directive strategies to move the partner party in conflict toward an agreement – this choice might send mixed signals to the conflicting parties which might produce lack of commitment to negotiate a settlement. In other words, lack of cooperation within the mediating coalition directly gets transposed into a lack of cooperation between the conflicting sides and third parties. As cooperation proves to be decidedly beneficial not only to the overall process but more importantly also to the parties themselves, it is also important to understand what mechanisms can deter a party from defecting from the group. In essence, a potential incompatibility of interests between mediators creates a conflict in the mediating coalition that requires management.
