Armstrong analyzed three cases in which conflicting parties pursued the path of rapprochement and conciliation. He found that negotiations that successfully reached an agreement were conducted away from the public, on a high political level, and with few participants involved. In these secret negotiations, assurances and commitments were given that were essential for the parties to negotiate in “good faith”. Thus, in sensitive and difficult negotiations with vital national security or economic interests at stake, secret negotiations may be fundamental either initially (during a renegotiation phase) or as an additional track during official negotiations. For instance, in a back channel the parties may be able to break deadlocks and explore other options without official commitments, enhancing confidence and reducing uncertainties (1989a: 200; 1989b: 239 247). As Eban notes: “The hard truth is that the total denial of privacy even in the early stages of a negotiation has made international agreements harder to obtain than ever in the past history”.