In these circumstances the utility of mediation lies in creating a safe political and psychological space for the disputants to address their concerns with the assistance of an independent third party. Mediation can thus be viewed as a confidence-building exercise. The disputants' faith in the process stems largely from the expectation that the mediator will be fair and non-partisan. Where mediators demonstrate a bias against or in favour of one of the antagonists, they break that bond of trust and undermine the integrity of the process. This emphasis on impartiality reflects an ideal which is not fully attainable since no individual is free of bias.
All mediators have personal and professional values which shape their attitudes and conduct.
Yet one of the professional values is a commitment to procedural fairness. Mediators appointed by international actors often ignore these considerations, displaying blatant prejudice against one of the parties. Regardless of whether the bias is justified, the disfavoured party is likely to mistrust the mediator as much as a soccer team would mistrust a jaundiced referee. Bias may also impair the mediator's ability to appreciate fully the concerns raised by that party. There is the danger too that a partial mediator will become a party to the conflict, contributing to the problem rather than its resolution.