A never ending avoidance of agreement but being active at the negotiating table: --- The mention of ping-pong diplomacy brings to my mind (besides the use of ordinary venues and circumstances to backchannel diplomatic exchanges -as Mao did with Nixon in 1971-):

1 A never ending quick exchange of proposals and counterproposals made to avoid reaching agreement made by Nations but at the same time showing the appearance of willigness to dialogue and negotiate.

2 A very quick skillfulll manouevring by both Nations trying to maximize benefits to themselves in a diplomatic negotiation.

Source author: Eric Suzán Reed esuzan@sre.gob.mx