International diplomatic negociation
To conclude our conference year, we had the honour of welcoming His Excellency Ambassador Delcorde, who has 35 years of diplomatic experience and has served as Belgian Ambassador to Sweden, Poland and Canada. He retired in the spring of 2020 with the title of Honorary Ambassador of HM the King. He gave us a fascinating talk on the art and techniques of international negotiation.
Both a practitioner and an academic, Mr Delcorde presented a comprehensive overview of the challenges and stages of diplomatic negotiation in the space of an hour. For him, negotiations are a continuous process - a dynamic continuum that goes beyond mere formal meetings or isolated episodes.
In particular, he explained that pre-negotiations are crucial and involve discussions long before the actual process begins. Setting the agenda, identifying stakeholders, selecting venues, establishing procedures, and determining the format and timing can require years of preparatory talks before the diplomatic work really begins.
According to Mr Delcorde, the success of any negotiation depends fundamentally on understanding the other side and speaking their language. He emphasised the power of words, noting that language is inherently performative and famously remarking that "wars are syntax errors". For him, choosing the right terms is essential, as an imprecise formulation can lead to misunderstandings in such a delicate process.
Throughout his talk, he illustrated his points with numerous examples, historical anecdotes and personal recollections that captured the audience's attention.
Drawing on the insights of the realist school of international relations, Mr Delcorde argues that negotiations are inherently designed to formalise a balance of power between a stronger actor and a weaker one. Recognising this asymmetry, he advises students aspiring to be diplomats that it is imperative for any skilled negotiator, not necessarily in a strong position, to cultivate the ability to build robust coalitions and foster cohesive group dynamics among stakeholders. Only through such collaborative efforts can one hope to exert meaningful and lasting influence in the international arena.
He also highlighted one of the hallmarks of Belgian diplomacy: its remarkable ability to bring together a large number of states in international institutions. Drawing on the teachings of British diplomat Harold Nicholson, he described Belgian diplomats as pragmatic negotiators who do not seek heroic glory, but rather focus on promoting concrete projects and proposals. This strategy of presenting proposals during negotiations in order to achieve a collective impact was, for example, instrumental in the genesis of the R2P resolutions and was implemented during the Iraq conflict.
In conclusion, Mr Delcorde reminded us that there is no magic formula or universal technique for ensuring successful negotiations; it is an art, not just a method. The most valuable lessons to be learned remain those of history, which is rich in insights that are essential for guiding future negotiations.
The conference ended with a question and answer session with Mr Delcorde, followed by an informal drink organised by the Comité . In addition, a very successful book sale was held to promote his latest work, published last year, entitled La médiation diplomatique internationale. This book examines various strategies and initiatives in the mediation of international conflicts and presents three models of mediators that he has identified in the course of his illustrious career.
