Actors in Diplomacy: Peace Settlements with Non-state Armed Actors, the Khmer Rouge and the Taliban

Abstract

This research examines what characteristics allow a non-state armed actor to be considered an effective actor for the purpose of meaningful diplomatic engagement? The aim of this study is to understand how the identified factors can potentially contribute to a more successful outcome in peace settlement initiatives with non-state armed actors and how their absence can become a peril for peace. This research will address a gap in the international diplomatic studies literature concerned with the notion of actors in order to define, characterise and categorise the effectiveness of a diplomatic actors. The identified factors are autonomy, organisational coherence and representativeness as necessary characteristics for non-state armed actors to possess in order to engage in meaningful negotiations which could lead to a peace agreement and its successful implementation.

This study has two sets of contributions, for academia and for practice. First, it contributes original knowledge to four study-areas in diplomatic studies literature by identifying the characters of actors in diplomacy; in peace settlements literature by identifying meaningful diplomatic engagement with non-state armed actors; to the study of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia from a diplomatic lens; and to the study of diplomatic engagement with the Afghan Taliban for a peace settlement. Second, the outcome of this research is a framework that can be used by diplomatic practitioners to identify effective diplomatic actors when they consider engagement with non-state armed actors.

The research draws its empirical data from diplomatic engagement with the Khmer Rouge that led to 1991 Paris Peace Agreements in relation to the Cambodian conflict and the difficulties experienced in attempting to negotiate peace settlement with the Taliban in Afghanistan. In the detailed analysis of the two case studies, the value of the diplomatic actors' framework is demonstrated. Show more