ABSTRACT
Mediation as a form of crisis management works on the principles of consensus building, tailored to the local situation. The neutral third party plays a crucial role in assessing whether negotiation is feasible and devising a negotiation strategy which gets the parties to the table. Participation is voluntary and depends on the mediator building conditions of trust, in which the interests of all parties are respected, their legal rights are not prejudiced and confidentiality is maintained. In part, the case for mediation rests on these principles being respected, but also on advancing the values of self-determination, compassion and concern for others.
