27 January 2014
The ‘road map’ metaphor in important international negotiations, on which I dwelt at some length in the chapter called ‘Diplomatic Momentum’ in my textbook, is alive and well, and why not? These are the published road maps on which to keep an eye at the moment:
- Syria: Action Group for Syria Final Communiqué, 30 June 2012 – ‘a very concrete road map’ (Hillary Clinton).
- Iran: Joint Plan of Action, 24 November 2013 ‘We have here a clear roadmap in terms of the timing and sequencing of the steps that will be taken by Iran and by the international community’ (Senior State Department official, 13 January 2014)
- Afghanistan: Road map lacking, although not for want of trying (see the High Peace Council’s ‘Peace Process Road Map to 2015′ of Nov. 2012). Following the opening of the short-lived Taliban liaison office in Qatar in June 2013, the State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said ’we’re going to continue to work through the bumpy road, and we’re hopeful that we can get it back on [the railway] track.’ In the circumstances, mixed metaphors of movement must be forgiven!