Multilateral Diplomacy

Conference/Summit Diplomacy
 Multilateral Diplomacy
• The diplomatic interaction involving more than two
parties is labeled as the multilateral diplomacy
• This diplomatic interaction may be among various
states, e.g., a few states concluding some
agreements/treaties to strengthen their ties, to
promote trade and commerce or to enhance strategic
cooperation between them
• It may involve larger groups of states forming formal
alliances or regimes or interacting without these
formal structures on temporary basis.
• It may also involve non-state actors, in addition to
states, e.g., states interacting with regional
organizations, INGOs, IGOs, MNCs, media groups etc.
 Cont..
• Hence, multilateral diplomacy may take several forms,
and it’s scope varies accordingly.
• It may be in the form of general agreements, regimes,
alliances, permanent regional and international
structures, conferences and summits etc.
• The last form, conference & summit diplomacy is one of
the most significant ones in the contemporary world.
• However, it is worth mentioning that multilateral
diplomacy is not limited to conference & summit
diplomacy, i.e., every conference & summit is an
example of multilateral diplomacy, but every
multilateral diplomatic interaction may not necessarily
be in the form of conference & summit.
 Conference & Summit Diplomacy

• Diplomacy is considered as the management of

international relations by negotiations; the
method by which these relations are adjusted
and managed by ambassadors and envoys; the
business or the art of the diplomatists.
• Conference diplomacy-that part of management
of relations between governments and of
relations between governments and international
organizations that take place in international
conferences.
 Cont..
• This definition covers not only relations between
governments but also those between governments
and organizations of which they are members.
• This later type of relations has introduced new
elements into diplomacy.
• The term ‘conference’ is used in it’s most general
sense, i.e., a formal gathering with a pre-decided
agenda and controlled settings, most of the time a
public gathering, some times some selected
sections of proceedings and outcomes are
publicized, very rarely conferences are secret these
days.
 Cont..
• This use discards the old distinction between a
‘conference’ and a ‘congress’ which later term was
used for formal gatherings at which sovereigns and
their principle ministers were present.
• Summit is a special kind of conference which is
attended by the heads of states themselves, instead
of or in addition to sending their diplomatic
missions, special envoys etc.
• Summits normally have all the essential elements of
a conference, with almost same settings, with this
exception of having more heads of states attending
it as in comparison with a usual conference.
 Major Developments
• It may be said that Congress of Vienna (1815)
was the first major conference with a no. of
characteristics reminiscent of contemporary
conferences; the fight over the character of the
conference, discussions as to who would be
invited, the role of greater powers vis-à-vis that
of smaller powers, the question of unanimity, the
constitution of committees and the question of
their membership, the establishment of
continuing machinery to function after the
conference was over.
 Cont..
• The idea of systematic periodicity of
conferences was already a feature in some of
the old organizations, e.g., UPU (Universal
Postal Union) established in 1875. Conference
periodicity received a strong impetus after
WWI with League of Nations and International
Labor Organization. The covenant of League
(article IV) required the Council of the League
‘to meet from time to time as occasion may
require and at least once a year’.
 Cont..

• After WWI, the no. of international conferences

increased at a fantastic rate and the no. multiplied
drastically after WWII. Following statistics show
the increase in no. of international conferences
from 1840 to 1940.
Time Period------No. of International Conferences
 1840-1849----------5
 1900-1909----------1082
 1910-1919----------974
 1920-1929-----------2913
 1930-1939-----------3655
 Cont..
• The drastic increase in frequency of
international conferences after WWII can be
understood by the no. of international
conferences in one particular year held in two
major cities only, as given below.
Year N.York Geneva
 1975 3100 7175
 1985 3868 3138
 Cont..

• With the passage of time, according to the statistics

and rules of procedures of most of the organizations,
the old custom of arriving at decisions by unanimity
has been replaced by majority decision-taking.
• Before WWI, international conferences were usually
called by one or sometimes several of the greater
powers or occasionally by one of the smaller powers
after lose consultation. Between two world wars,
League of Nations system already had what might be
called a self-propelling system for organizing
conferences. After WWII, most conferences have been
convened in the framework of U.N. or of specialized
agencies. Conferences convened by individual
countries have become exception instead of rule.
 Cont.
• Another important development, as far as
international conferences and summits since
1945 are concerned, is that economic,
financial, social, environmental and cultural
questions have increasingly become the
agenda item.
Factors Promoting Conference & Summit Diplomacy

• Many factors might be considered significant for

their role in promoting conference & summit
diplomacy. Some major factors include:
 Growing no. of actors-----the wave of
decolonization, rise of nationalism and principle
of self determination in the later half of the 20th
century multiplied the no. of states, that have
been considered as the core or primary actor in
international relations since the Treaty of
Westphalia. In addition, some non-state actors
grew in no. as well as in significance after 2nd WW
 Cont..
And after the formation of U.N. in 1945, last few
decades of 20th century not only consolidated the
position of International Governmental
Organizations in international relations but also
witnessed sort of mushroom growth of Non-
governmental Organizations at different levels that
gradually secured an important role in
International Relations. Some other actors that
became influential in international relations
include MNCs or trans-national
companies/corporations, media groups and other
pressure groups at various levels.
 Cont..

This drastic increase in no. of actors in international politics and

relations discouraged the bilateral diplomatic interactions to a
larger extent and in turn promoted multilateral diplomacy,
specially promoted conference & summit diplomacy.
 Growing no. of issues---20th century witnessed great shifts in
the scope and subject matter of international relations, hence
the no. of issues increased significantly. The focus of interwar
period (1918-1939) was to prevent such catastrophic wars in
future, collective security, establishment of some formal
international structure, balance of power, economic crisis
that primarily was the outcome of the WWI etc. Post-WWII
focus shifted to post-war balance of power as well as new
world order, reconstruction and rehabilitation of war-trodden
areas, later managing the bipolarity of international order,
 Cont..

Introduction of non-conventional arms, space race between

super powers, the sharp division of the world into Capitalist-
Communist block and resultant formation of
alliances/counter-alliances, growing sense of need for non-
alignment/neutrality in developing world, decolonization
and rise of nationalism specially in Asia, Africa and Latin
America, nuclear non-proliferation concerns and arms
control/disarmament, the rise of neo-liberal ideas in 1070s
and 1980s, economic integration and interdependence,
environmental issue and concerns about human rights
towards the end of cold war, the unilateral world order and
management of international relations accordingly after cold
war, terrorism/counter-terrorism and nuclear proliferation in
first decade of 21st century. The ever-growing issues
 Cont..

Not only resulted in increased no. of stakeholders in

international political arena but also encouraged the
search for new, non-conventional modes of interaction
among those stakeholders and actors, hence leading to
promotion of multilateral diplomacy in general and
conference & summit diplomacy in particular.
 Growing need for communication---the net effect of the
two major factors mentioned earlier was the growing
need for interaction and communication between states
and non-state actors. Lack of communication has always
been considered as a major reason for conflicts. This urge
for close interaction and continuous communication was
more intense after 2nd WW, specially at the end of great
powers since the failure of great powers to actively
 Cont..
Participate in old multilateral institutional
frameworks was a major cause of collapse of
those structures. Hence, the great powers
became more keen to use multilateral channels
for diplomatic interactions, specially conferences
& summits.
 Actors
• In most inter-governmental conferences, four main
actors can be detected:
 The delegations as representatives of their
governments
 The secretariat and it’s executive head/s
 The presiding officer/s
 Various groups of governments
• Sometimes others become actors in conference
diplomacy, e.g., non-governmental organizations
and generalists or observers. However, the course of
events at most conferences is determined by the
actions/interactions of above mentioned four actors.
 Factors Leading to Success/Failure of Conference & Summit Diplomacy

• The reasons for success/failure may vary for different

conferences, however, generally speaking some important
factors that determine the success/failure of a conference
& summit are:
 Preparation—organizational/administrative preparation for
a conference/summit is a key to success, ranging from
agenda setting to logistics, from invitations to
documentation and from pre-conference/summit
campaigns to post-conference promotions etc. It is usually
done through a preparatory committee that is supposed to
write and negotiate a preliminary draft , put together a
detailed conference agenda and make sure all relevant
stakeholders (including INGOs, states, IGOs, media )
 Cont..
Are duly consulted/communicated. On average, it
normally takes two to four years of preparation for
a global conference or summit.
 Cultural/ideological compatibility---the selection of
appropriate or neutral place and consideration of
cultural/ideological compatibility is very important
specially when the conference is being attended by
the heads of states (summits), e.g., the failure of
Kenedy-Khrushev encounter in Vienna in 1961 has
been largely credited to the inability of the two
leaders to overcome their ideological frictions.
 Cont..
 Another important factor is the capacity of the
parties involved to translate conference decisions
into policies. Many conferences are witnessed to
go smoothly as far as administration and other
issues are concerned, however, fail to make some
practical impact due to the failure of transforming
conference decisions into actions and policies.