A peace talks is a series of negotiations among warring parties to resolve the conflict. They can take many forms, ranging from bilateral talks between two states or groups of people to multiparty negotiations with all conflict actors, including non-governmental organisations and regional organisations. The success or failure of a peace agreement depends on a range of factors, most notably the structural and contextual conditions that are created by the negotiation framework. Government buy-in, expectations of military victory, and willingness to negotiate in good faith all determine whether or not a peace agreement will be reached (see the overview of the costs of conversation for more).
The structure of peace talks is important for achieving durable peace agreements. A key factor is the inclusion of civil society, which increases the chances for a peace agreement by providing moderates with an incentive to support the process, as well as preventing spoilers and zealots from undermining the negotiation effort. It is also important that the peace process has a single mediator who can be trusted to not interfere in the peace negotiations and to ensure the confidentiality of the discussions.
While peace talks are a necessity for resolving conflicts, they are not always necessary to achieve substantial peace. In fact, a number of talks have been conducted while fighting continued and still resulted in substantive peace agreements. This is because it is not always necessary to address all the root causes of conflict in a peace agreement. For example, if a conflict is caused by a local grievance, such as the exclusion of an ethnic group, the local solution will be more effective than addressing the entire issue.