Original scientific paper
Diplomatic Ambiguity: From the Power-Centric Practice to a Reasoned Theory
Dražen Pehar
Abstract
The author proposes a theoretical guide for a practice-oriented analysis of diplomatic ambiguity. Based primarily on both the comments by classical diplomatic theorists and his own historical interpretation of the use of diplomatic ambiguity during the Rambouillet negotiations on the status of Kosovo/a, he offers a reconstruction of the power-centric view of diplomatic ambiguity that has been, as he demonstrates, implicitly endorsed by the key actors of the Rambouillet negotiating process. He claims that, though such a view can give one some insight into contingent historical developments and help one understand some cases of diplomatic practice, it suffers from several flaws that make it an unlikely candidate for a viable and comprehensive theory of diplomatic ambiguity. Furthermore the author presents, in a rudimentary and preliminary form, an alternative, more reasoned view of diplomatic ambiguity that is, on the one hand, language-centric and non - legalistic, and, on the other, sufficiently responsive to doxatic/cognitive aspects of ambiguity and also consistent with Der Derian´s concept of diplomacy as ˝mediation of estrangement˝.
Keywords
diplomatic ambiguity; ambiguity - the power-centric view; ambiguity - a reasoned view; Rambouillet negotiations; peace talks; US diplomacy
Hrčak ID:
4721
URI
Publication date:
31.12.2005.
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