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THREE <br />Initial Contacts <br />with the <br />Disputing Parties <br />Mediators enter disputes as a result of (1) direct initia- <br />tion by the parties, (2) referrals by secondary parties, (3) direct <br />initiation by the mediator, or (4) appointment by a recognized <br />authority such as a government official or agency. Each of these <br />means of entry poses specific strategic choices regarding media- <br />tor activities and may affect the quality, type, and probability <br />of a settlement. <br />Direct initiation by a party or parties is probably the <br />most common means used by disputants to obtain a mediator's <br />services. The request for mediation may come from a single <br />party, a subgroup or coalition of parties, or all the disputants. <br />The request may be initiated before or after the start of negotia- <br />tions. The source of the request and the timing of the proposal <br />for mediation may have a significant effect on the dynamics of <br />negotiations. I will first explore requests for entry of a mediator <br />made by single parties and subgroups of disputants and then <br />examine requests made by all involved parties. <br />A request for mediation by a single party, whether an in- <br />dividual or a team, can have a variety of effects on the dynamics <br />of negotiation and on subsequent strategies of the negotiators. <br />One party commonly either proposes mediation to an opponent <br />or makes a unilateral initiative to obtain a mediator. For exam- <br />44 <br />