Which mechanism yields a binding decision in international disputes?

• A. Negotiation
• B. Mediation
• C. Arbitration
• D. Diplomatic protest

Answer: (C)

Arbitration provides a binding resolution because parties explicitly agree to submit their dispute to an arbitral tribunal, and the tribunal’s award is final and legally binding on both sides. Once the award is issued, the parties are obligated to comply, and it can be enforced in courts across countries, especially under international enforcement regimes like the New York Convention. This binding character is what sets arbitration apart from other methods.

Negotiation and mediation, by contrast, produce outcomes only if the parties reach an agreement themselves; there is no binding decision imposed by a third party unless the parties later sign a settlement. Diplomatic protest is a political instrument and does not create any binding resolution of the dispute.