The literature on international mediation emphasizes the crucial role that mediator impartiality and interest play in a mediation's success. Building on this literature and focusing on the case of Syria's role in resolving the Yemen dispute, my research seeks to demonstrate how a mediator's relationship with an external actor can change the level of the mediator's impartiality and interest and, ultimately, the mediation outcome. Syria's first attempt in 1979 to resolve the Yemen dispute through mediation failed, but its second attempt in the same year was successful. This article describes how Syria's relations with the Soviet Union changed the level of Syria's interest and impartiality toward the dispute between North Yemen and South Yemen. It also explores how and why the Soviets clandestinely helped Syria to become an effective mediator for the dispute. Drawing upon the lessons of this case, I discuss how external factors other than a mediator's bilateral relations with the parties can increase the mediator's impartiality and interest in a dispute.

中文翻译：

---

幕后：1979年叙利亚也门争端的调解

关于国际调解的文献强调了调解员的公正性和利益在调解成功中所起的关键作用。在此文献的基础上，我着重研究叙利亚在解决也门争端中所起的作用，我的研究旨在证明调解员与外部行为者的关系如何改变调解员的公正性和利益水平，并最终改变调解结果。叙利亚在1979年通过调解解决也门争端的第一次尝试失败了，但同年第二次尝试是成功的。本文介绍了叙利亚与苏联的关系如何改变了叙利亚对北也门与南也门之间的争端的兴趣和公正程度。它还探讨了苏联人如何以及为什么秘密帮助叙利亚成为争端的有效调解人。借鉴本案的经验教训，我将讨论调解员与各方之间的双边关系以外的外部因素如何增加调解员在争端中的公正性和利益。