The Politics of Mediation and the Insider's Interests

Perhaps it is time to take an intelligent gaze at international meditation (in the sphere of peace and conflict management) from the inside-out angle. Looking at what the disputants, and not the mediators and interested third parties, actually want. What disputants often seek to gain out of mediation may never be any sort of agreement or compromise, after all. They may be targeting to assert their authority, consolidate power, establish and/or expand alliances and allies, buy time to mobilize, regroup and realign, seek legitimization, save face etc!