Negotiating with the Devil

Insider reflections on the political and ethical 'red lines' that shape talks with armed interlocutors, be they states or insurgents.

After many years in the little-known world of back-channel mediation, helping sworn adversaries to prevent, manage or resolve conflict, Pierre Hazan felt compelled to re-examine the acute practical and ethical dilemmas that affected his work in Bosnia, Ukraine, the Sahel and the Central African Republic. What is the mediator's responsibility when two belligerents conclude a peace agreement to the detriment of a third? Should mediators never be party to 'ethnic cleansing', even if it saves lives? Is a fragile peace worth sacrificing justice for or will that sacrifice fuel another cycle of violence?

In an increasingly dystopian world, Negotiating with the Devil offers both practical guidelines and a moral compass for mediators whose field of action has transformed dramatically. We have gone from soft to hard power; from 'peace dividends' to war in Europe; from the end of one Cold War to a new EastWest confrontation in Ukraine; from Pax Americana to a multipolar world; from the dream of an all-powerful UN to the organisation's marginalisation. Against this tapestry, Hazan sheds light on the complex work of those steering peace negotiations, blending vivid first-hand observation with sharp insights into the psychology of compromise as a first step towards peace.

'[A] short and elegant ... book.' TLS

'A breathtaking, demanding, but vital read...[that] highlights the complexities of the world's security apparatus today, and the need to find a new, shared international ethos.' The Scotsman

'An impassioned, informed insight into the complexities facing mediators in an increasingly complex, fragmented world.' Morning Star

'A cracking read with impressive research credentials.' Irish Independent

'Enriched by a plethora of anecdotes...An engaging and accessible read.' LSE Review of Books

'Illuminates the roles of human rights activists, journalists, moderators, the nation-state, and the UN.' Choice

'Analyses with finesse what this quest for dialogue means in an increasingly chaotic world where the West is no longer hegemonic.' Le Monde

'Revisits the last thirty years in the theatre of mass crimes from Bosnia to the Sahel, from Ukraine to Afghanistan.' Liberation

'Lifts the veil on the dilemmas and pitfalls of mediation in armed conflicts.' Le Figaro

'An enlightening and stimulating book on mediation in armed conflicts.' Le Temps

'Former journalist, and now advisor to the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva, Pierre Hazan has written Negotiating with the Devil. In this stimulating opus, the author examines mediation in times of war.' Le Croix

'An enlightening book on [Hazan's] experience as a mediator in armed conflicts.' Le Pelerin

'A strong defence of the importance of negotiation in the middle of a conflict.' Responsible Statecraft

'Unquestionably fills a gap.' Journal of Central and Eastern European Studies

'A unique and engaging contribution to the discourse on conflict mediation.' Medicine, Conflict and Survival