The Effectiveness of Conference Diplomacy

This chapter discusses three dimensions of effectiveness, namely duration, the outcomes of negotiations between heads of state(s), and (local) participation. Comparing the Congress of Vienna and early twentieth-century G7 meetings, it draws attention to three trends: the dramatic decline in the time available for direct negotiation; the continued importance of political sociability as a key feature of summits; and the increasing distance between summit participants and the population of the locations where meetings take place.