Sociology | Mercantile Law | International Law | International Relations

Primary Diplomatic means to sort out disputes
As mentioned in the Article#33(1) of the UN charter, the primarily preferred means to solve the dispute are;

A. NEGOTIATIONS
Either by summit meetings or through semi-permanent missions, negotiations can take place over a dispute between states. It is the most practiced and normal primary diplomatic method to oil the friction.

B. GOOD OFFICES
Unlike negotiations where the conflicting states on their own come to talks, in Good Offices a third party attempts to intervene between the states indulged in conflict and encourage them to negotiate. For instance, the Secretary General of the UN may intervene in an inter-state conflict in order to bring them to the table talks.

C. MEDIATION
Mediation like negotiations is also carried with the aid of a third party that intervenes to help the conflicting states but the bleak difference between the two is that, here the third party can independently put forward its recommendations.

D. INQUIRY
In this diplomatic method to solve disputes between states, the third party again plays role by investigating the fact, putting forth the recommendations but without formulation of the proposals for settlement.

E. CONCILIATION
This diplomatic mean to end dispute is an amalgam of all other mentioned above. Here, the third party intervening among the conflicting states investigates the facts, makes recommendations and finally suggests the terms of settlement.

It should be noted that in all the diplomatic methods mentioned above under the light of UN Charter, no one is of the authority to make the states to obey the recommendations proposed.