Publication

This paper discusses analytically what the effects of linkages in international negotiations are and which outcomes are to be expected from linked bargaining. The paper argues that there always exist gains from linkage in bargaining and that such linking will always occur in equilibrium if there is a preliminary stage, where the parties are bargaining over the agenda. The paper compares the outcomes under linked bargaining with separate negotiations and characterizes the circumstances where a party will gain or lose from linking. However, the analysis suggests that some parties may lose from linkage.