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At whatever level talks might take place, it is always best they are entered into without preconditions. To insist on terms before discussion can mean influencing the outcome in advance so, to an extent, the talks become meaningless. Laying down preconditions is not the same as preparing an agenda, as an agenda merely states what is to be discussed, or hoped to be discussed. Preconditions state that one side, or both, have conceded aspects prior to the talks which are pertinent to the issue and so could be interpreted as an early victory for the side that made no concessions.
The US will, more often than not, set out preconditions to any talks between it and another country. That can be a hindrance to a successful outcome, which has been proven time and again. But it has now been made public that the US will enter secret talks with an adversary, maybe initially through an intermediary to find some common ground for better understanding and progress. Secret overtures to "rogue states", as the US likes to call them - in other words, those which do not follow US policy - should be welcomed by everyone. As Mac Maharaj, former ANC fighter once famously said: "You don't make peace with your friends, you make peace with your enemies, and the only way you end a conflict is to accept that premise."
If, in this 21st century efforts are made to achieve peace and harmony among nations and peoples, then it can only be done through greater understanding of each other's problems. As is being experienced globally, there are enough problems with the environment and the destruction of the planet without still attempting to destroy ourselves through recriminations and wars. Considering how long mankind has existed, it is time we learnt how to get along together.
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