A suggested model of international negotiation

The literature on international bargaining offers many books and articles on how na-tions come to engage in a bargaining inter-action, on the process of bargaining, and on the various kinds of outcomes.l Little at-tention has been given, however, to two aspects of bargaining which are crucial to a successful outcome (an agreement which is implemented). These are: ( 1) the rela-tionships among elements in the phases of bargaining which are conducive to reaching an enforceable agreement, and (2) the elements in bargaining which are helpful in en f orcing the agreement. These aspects are perhaps more distinct than appears at first glance, but they are also interrelated, since the second depends on the first. Lack of attention to implementation prob-lems and to the stages or phases of nego-tiation has produced theories of bargaining which are incomplete and often incom-patible. If the theorist’s emphasis is on elements that are helpful in keeping nego-tiations moving, he may overlook those qualities which other theorists feel are necessary to reaching an agreement. If he is mainly interested in qualities helpful to con-eluding an agreement, he may concentrate on methods of consensus-building which are detrimental to what other theorists see as requirements for enforceability. The first part of this study describes sev-eral incompatibilities among the phases of international bargaining which must be re-solved if we are to achieve a comprehen-sive theory of international negotiation, in-cluding the successful outcome defined above. The second part contains a model of international negotiation which attempts to resolve the incompatibilities. The aim of the model is to suggest elements in nego-tiation which aid the movement of the bar-gaining through all its phases, including the terminal one of enforcing the agreement.