International Negotiations

Between countries
International negotiation is as it says: inter-national. It is about negotiation between countries. International negotiation occurs all the time between governments and is the main subject of this page. It also happens between individuals and companies, where the traps and tricks of cross-border negotiation can ensnare even the most experienced home-country negotiators.

International negotiation is often not just between individual people, but between large delegations, each of which is well organized and where every person has specialized and skilled work. There may be cultural experts, linguists and subject specialists as well as a chief negotiator and support negotiators. In a complex negotiation, there may be multiple and interlined sub-negotiations going on at the same time, for example where a trade negotiation includes deal involving various industries and interests.

Cultural confusion
A big trap in negotiation lies in misunderstanding the culture of other countries, especially in the rules that they use to negotiate. Whilst one country may emphasize politeness and integrity, another might use deception and coercive methods as a norm of negotiation, whilst being polite and friendly outside of the negotiation arena.

It is easy also to offend people from other cultures without realizing what you are doing. Body Language, and particularly gestures, can have very different meaning, and what may seem an innocent movement to one person can be extremely rude to another.

Diplomacy and tact
International negotiation, done well, takes very careful notice of local cultures and customs, and is conducted with remarkable diplomacy and tact. Good international negotiators are very smooth and practiced in their art, and ensure they are extremely well informed not only about national cultures but also about the very individual perceptions of the people on the others side.

The complexity and care of international negotiations may mean that the process can take an inordinately long time, quite likely months and possibly even years. Some negotiations never conclude, but the very fact that the two sides are talking is sufficient to distract them from more violent interplay.