Culture binds its members to a range of acceptable norms. During the different stages of a conflict cycle, culture prescribes what precursors will create stress and anxiety in a person, it determines how the individual will assess the conflict, identify a preferred course of action and evaluate the consequences of his or her chosen path. 

Contact groups, peace talks, and conferences are a diplomat's classic tools when faced with a rapidly deteriorating security environment. While some have been very successful, the landscape of international interventions, in times of war, is replete with examples of multi-stakeholder consultations that failed to produce sustainable results or fell short of reaching a comprehensive settlement.