This article explores how compartmentalised diplomacy, defined as the compartmentalisation of a comprehensive set of previously linked issues into separate but gradually and substantively expanding issues, helps forge an agreement on contested issues among member states in the United Nations Security Council. Based on a strategic bargaining framework, the article argues that subtracting issues from a comprehensive negotiation serves to create compartmentalised issues disassociated from other issues negotiated in the same context. Once an issue is separated, Council members may exploit a ratchet effect to expand a subtracted issue beyond what veto players initially may have preferred. Based on documentation by the non-profit organisation Security Council Report and news sources, an in-depth case study of Security Council action regarding Syria demonstrates how compartmentalised diplomacy helps Security Council members to forge landmark agreements on several contentious issues, even if members chiefly disagree on other issues. For comparative leverage and to assess the limits of the proposed mechanism, the analysis is briefly extended to other high-profile cases discussed in the Security Council (Sudan and Ukraine). The findings have implications for this essential tool of the Security Council to react to threats to peace.

本文探讨了分割外交（将一系列先前相互关联的问题分割成单独但逐渐实质性扩展的问题）如何帮助联合国安理会成员国就有争议的问题达成一致。基于战略谈判框架，本文认为，从全面谈判中减去问题会产生与同一背景下谈判的其他问题脱节的分割问题。一旦问题被分开，理事会成员可能会利用棘轮效应将被减除的问题扩大到否决者最初可能希望的范围之外。根据非营利组织安理会报告的文件和新闻来源，对安理会在叙利亚问题上所采取行动的深入案例研究表明，即使安理会成员在其他问题上存在主要分歧，分块外交也能帮助安理会成员就几个有争议的问题达成具有里程碑意义的协议。为了比较影响力并评估拟议机制的局限性，我们将分析简要扩展到安理会讨论的其他备受瞩目的案件（苏丹和乌克兰）。研究结果对安理会这一应对和平威胁的重要工具具有重要意义。该分析被简要扩展到安理会讨论的其他备受瞩目的案件（苏丹和乌克兰）。研究结果对安理会这一应对和平威胁的重要工具具有重要意义。该分析被简要扩展到安理会讨论的其他备受瞩目的案件（苏丹和乌克兰）。研究结果对安理会这一应对和平威胁的重要工具具有重要意义。