Conflict prevention for a new century

Conflict prevention for a new century is described by Richard Bilder of the American Society of International Law as dealing with various mechanisms that can be used both to prevent and to resolve conflicts, both international and internal, including international organizations, regional organizations, and private mediators. Preventive diplomacy has gained increasing attention over the past several years; UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali's very interesting report, An Agenda for Peace (1992), includes a chapter on preventive diplomacy. In a panel discussion, Abram Chayes of Harvard University Law School, Felice D. Gaer of the American Jewish Committee, and David J. Scheffer of the US Department of State discussed the following questions from varying perspectives regarding preventive diplomacy: 1. What is it? 2. What has and has not worked? 3. How can it be improved?