Peace Process

Abstract Dictionaries of language give several usages and contexts of the word ‘peace’ and many of these are undoubtedly relevant to an understanding of the term ‘peace process’ in a generic as opposed to a technical sense. The Oxford English Reference Dictionary refers to peace as a state of friendliness, establishing friendly relations, bringing about peace. A peacemaker is defined as one who brings about peace (Pearsall & Trumble, 1996: 1068). Littre’s dictionary of the French language gives a long list of usages of the term paix, opening with rapports reguliers, cames, sans violence, d’un Etat, d’une nation avec un autre Etat, une autre nation (normal relations, calm, without violence, of a state, a nation, with another state, another nation; 1974: 4403). From a generic point of view one could say that whatever is required to maintain, re-establish, or sustain peace is part of a peace process broadly considered.