This issue has become increasingly important in the years since the end of the Cold War. Over the past ten to fifteen years, many terrorist groups involved in long-running conflicts have been brought to the negotiating table; in the case of South Africa, a former terrorist group has now formed the government. The definition of negotiate, "To confer with another or others in order to come to terms or reach an agreement on a matter."

That seems like a good idea, because the better our communication, the better our chances of exerting influence doesn’t it? Negotiating with a person or a group doesn't necessarily mean supporting them rather it gives you a chance to find out what they are fighting for what is their stance, what is their side of the picture because one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. Most terrorist organizations are not engaged in violence simply for the joy of it, nor for personal gain; instead, they stand for a particular political position, and often for a particular group of people. It is important to realize that there are two sides to every conflict. A good example for this is the ANC in South Africa. For many years they were regarded by the government – and by many foreign governments – as an illegal terrorist organization. For the majority black population of the country, however, they were legitimately fighting for their freedom. History will record that they were on the side of right, and the apartheid government was in the wrong.

Many terrorist conflicts are the result of political disagreements that run back many years; terrorism is often fuelled by a historic culture of hatred and distrust. In such situations, it is imperative that someone take the first step in trying to resolve the situation. In the interests of peace and of fairness, it is the government which must do so: it is inevitably the more powerful side in the conflict and is therefore in a position to make concessions. Only by taking a lead is it possible to end the killing.